Between Freedom and Loyalty
by SinfullyOffensive
Summary: Wanting to leave a world of extravagant, meaningless parties and meritless money would probably be considered crazy to anyone in Ouran Academy. It is a good thing, then, that Miyamura Akiko never considered herself to be entirely sane. [Eventual KaoruxOC]
1. If Our Eyes Saw Souls

**This story is meant to explore Kaoru's struggle that is prominent throughout the series, since not many authors focus on his side of the story. Therefore it is not entirely OC-centric. It is a slight AU, only because it follows the timeline of the series without delving deep into it because it has a plot of its own.**

 **Let me inform you of what this story is NOT. It is not a romance in which Hikaru also likes the OC. Neither does it contain a set of twin OCs that have romantic interests with the two. It does not contain a cross-dressing OC, host club maid OC, OC that has to pay off a debt, commoner OC, OC with an abusive "surprise" fiancé, OC with a past filled with angst, etc. Most importantly, this story is not a "love at first sight" romance with a canon character the OC just met. This is not meant to be an attack on any author who has written stories like this. I have most likely read them and appreciated them just the same.**

 **Special thanks to _Lura Elsworth,_ author of the beautifully written KyoyaxOC titled Our Entwined Lives, for collaborating with me on the general plot of this story and helping me create my characters and background. **

**Revised: 10/09/16**

 **-…-**

 **Between Freedom and Loyalty**

Chapter 1: If Our Eyes Saw Souls

 **-…-**

"You mean to tell me…" The young woman grunted as she pulled the large cart of towering boxes up another stair, "…that this academy and all of its patrons combined have enough money and power to overthrow an entire government..." She tiredly pulled the trolley up another step, wheezing, "…but we can't afford to fix a _tiny_ elevator?"

After pulling the trolley up another step, the young student decided that she needed a break. Sighing, she leaned on the trolley to take a breather. However, as she did so, she felt the cart shift and heard a resonating _pop!_

"Whoa!" she cried, steadying the cart as it became unbalanced. When she investigated what was going on, she saw that a tire had popped off the right side of the trolley, leaving it unsteady. With a roll of her eyes, she groaned. "Oh no, go ahead. Lose another tire. It's not like it's inconvenient at all."

There was a moment of silence…and then…

 _Pop!_

 _…._

And this is where our tale begins, with an unfortunate girl going through a series of unfortunate events. To the students casually strolling past the young woman, these events are very little surprising and justly deserved. After all, it is here in the elite private school of Ouran Academy that it is considered rather unfortunate to be born both female and the eldest of three. It is even even worse when the youngest just happens to be born a male and therefore inherits the company by default.

As a result, you can expect a lonely life in the academy, for no one will find your company to be of any relevance. It is already set in stone that you are to be the one who will never amount to anything once the younger two make their mark on society. It is a curse that no one would dare wish on any other.

Unfortunately, the universe seems to have a crude sense of humor, because Miyamura Akiko was, indeed, the eldest of three. To make matters worse, she was not even the only daughter, which might have warrented her some chance at establishing some sort of fortune.

If you were to ask anyone else in the Academy about her, they would, at first, haven't the slightest idea of who you were speaking of, for that is how irrelevant Akiko's companionship was. And once you were to ask again and they finally got their simplistic brains working again, then they would say, "Oh, that's Miyamura Miyuki's half-sister, Akiko-san—or something or other. She's the daughter of Miyamura Sousuke, the renowned Biomedical Engineer."

And they probably couldn't tell you more than that. Though, they might be able to tell you quite a bit about her half-sister, who was currently off who-knows-where on the school grounds.

Actually, scratch that.

Akiko knew exactly where her sister was. Although she _should_ have been here struggling to pull up a fully stocked trolley up an entire three flights of stairs, she was more than likely off in pursuit of the third son of the Ootori family, as per usual. "Free-spirited," they called it. Or "chasing her dreams," others would say.

While Akiko called it "wasting her breath" and "pursuing task that would require a sacrifice to Satan." Except, Miyuki couldn't exactly give a sacrifice to Satan if she was in pursuit of the aforementioned Satan, who was called Ootori Kyoya on his good days…

Speaking of which, Akiko glanced down at her wrist-watch and noted the time. She had exactly fifteen minutes to get the trolley up to the 3rd floor music room before the start of club activities. "Yup. Kyoya-kun is going to kill me." She struggled out, beginning her climb up the stairs once again. "Guess I'll just have to lie big and leave fast."

In her rush, she did not think rationally about the position in which she was pulling the cart up the steps. Any person with any tiny bit of sense would have known that the safest way to get a cart up the steps would have been from the front of the cart, where the tires were missing. That way they could make sure that they would not lose the contents of the cart. However, Akiko was too preoccupied with imagining the torture she would have to endure from Kyoya to care about which position she was pulling the cart from. It wasn't until Akiko noticed that the cart was becoming immensely light compared to when she first started. At first, she assumed that she had just gotten it sliding up the steps at the right angle. But it wasn't until she heard a symphony of loud crashes that she noticed, to her horror, that the contents of the cart were currently rolling down the stairs.

Her shoulders deflated like a worn balloon, and she blew a tuff of her ebony hair out of her face. "Kyoya is _so_ going to kill me."

She knew that she had already said that before…but it seemed worth repeating.

* * *

 ** _"Mama!"_**

His loud, hysterical shrill echoed across the music room as the doors to the nearby prep-room burst open.

Across the room, nimble fingers twitched slightly on their position on top of a keyboard, the owner hiding his annoyed expression behind the brim of his glasses. "What is it now, Tamaki?" Kyoya calmly asked, not even bothering to remove his gaze from the screen of his laptop.

Tamaki's face was pale and fear stricken. "I walked into the preparation room in order to get the supplies for the club's activities only to find… ** _that all the desserts have gone_** **_missing_**!" he screamed, pulling at the ends of his hair. "And on top of that, the lights in the room wouldn't turn on, and the door suddenly closed on me while I was in there! It must be the work of ghosts, I tell you! **_Ghosts_**!"

"Tamaki…" Kyoya began, "…do you ever get tired of living in a constant haze of stupidity?"

An arrow shot through Tamaki's heart at Kyoya's words, but he did not let that deter him. He ran towards Kyoya, slamming his hands onto the table and causing Kyoya's laptop to shut close. "I'm telling you it has to be ghosts! Can't you feel it?!" He trembled, wrapping his arms around his torso. "The chill from the unrestful spirits is all around us! We have made them angry, and they have taken all of our precious desserts, closed our doors, and are leaving us here to starve! It had to be that weirdo Nekozawa's doing from the last time he was in here during Halloween!"

"Tamaki, Halloween was months ago. It's February." Kyoya was unimpressed. "And it's only chilly in here because you must have accidently turned the knob for the air conditioning instead of reaching for the light switch when you entered the prep-room. Have you already forgotten that you have done so before on numerous occasions?" Seeing that he wasn't going to be able to get anymore work done with Tamaki's hands on his laptop, Kyoya pulled out his black notebook and began jotting down the upcoming finances for the host club.

"That can't be true! It has to be ghosts! How else do you explain the lights not turning on?!" Tamaki persisted.

"The lights didn't turn on because you broke them this morning during your feeble attempt at kick-the-can, remember?"

"And what about the door closing on me while I was inside, huh? What about that?!"

"The door closed on you because you were so scared trying to run out of the room that you ran into the wall and the sudden shake caused the doors to close," Kyoya explained simply. "Now, will you please stop being such a pest?"

"But there are signs, Kyoya! Signs!"

"Ghosts, huh? Now, that's one I haven't heard in a while," Haruhi pointed out, announcing her appearance into the music room.

Kyoya, ignoring a sulking Tamaki, turned to acknowledge the brown-haired crossdresser. "Ah, Haruhi, good—you're earlier than usual." He gestured over to a corner by the window that was located across the room. "Could you please set up a large table by the corner over there? We are going to need it since we can't be using the prep-room until the lights are repaired. And be sure to put a table cloth on it," he ordered simply.

"Uh…sure thing."

As Haruhi walked over to one of the tables, attempting to drag it along, a high pitched giggle caught her attention. When she looked up from her task, Honey had just come into the room along with Mori and was sitting daintily on his shoulders. "Haru-chan! You're here early—isn't she, Takashi?"

Mori nodded briefly. "Yeah." Upon noticing the young girl struggling to move one of the large tables, he set down Honey and made his way over, easily lifting the table with one hand.

Haruhi smiled kindly, causing a strange gleam to appear in Mori's eyes. "Ah, thank you, Mori-senpai. Kyoya-senpai would like the table over there." She pointed to a corner of the room and picked up a lace table cloth that was neatly folded on one of the chairs.

She paused in her movements, looking over to Tamaki, who was currently crying in a separate corner, mumbling to himself. _"How long is he planning on staying like that?"_ she thought tiredly. She was called out of her thoughts by a small tug on her sleeve.

She glanced down only to see large, caramel colored eyes staring curiously at her. "Haru-chan, what's wrong with Tama-chan?" Honey asked, flowers surrounding his entire being as he spoke.

Haruhi sighed, setting the cloth neatly over the table. "Tamaki-senpai was saying something about ghosts and about how the desserts have gone missing," she spoke nonchalantly and then froze, slapping her hands over her mouth as she just realized the severity of what she had said.

Honey's face went blank. "You mean…there is no cake?" he squeaked, his eyes starting to water.

Haruhi waved her hands frantically in front of her senior, trying to calm his waterworks. "Uh, Honey-senpai! Don't cry!" She patted down her uniform, scurrying to find anything to console the small teen. "Here, I have some candy!" She placed the small box into his hands.

Honey sniffled, wiping his nose with his free hand. He looked down into his hand where she had placed the small box of candy and paused, noticing that it was a pack of sugar-free gum that was no doubt a free give away from a supermarket sale. He dropped the candy and started balling, running towards Mori, who effortlessly caught him. "Takashi! There are no sweets!" he cried, burying his face into Morinozuka's uniform. "And Tama-chan says there is a ghost here!"

"Ooh, a ghost, you say?"

Haruhi groaned as she felt two arms sling over her shoulders, each one belonging to different owners. She casted a sidelong glare at each of the culprits. The twins placed a hand on their hips and let a sly smirk creep across their features. "We have heard of the ghost before. After all, why do you think this music room was abandoned?" the twins spoke in unison, looking over at Tamaki to see that he had cupped his ears to listen in on their story—against his better judgement.

"You two, don't encourage Tamaki." Kyoya warned.

Ignoring his demands, they learned in closer to Haruhi, whispering in her ear. "They say," Kaoru began, "that, years ago, a third year student was sneaking around in the preparation room after her music class had ended. Apparently, she was waiting for a boy to come and join her."

"However," Hikaru took over, "he never came. And when she heard someone enter the room, she was startled and accidently knocked over a large bookcase."

Haruhi gulped uneasily listening to their story. "And the bookcase fell on top of her, causing her head to take a deadly blow onto the floor."

"It is rumored," they spoke in unison, "that her ghost haunts this music room, attacking or harassing anyone you love…all because she didn't get her chance at love herself."

Haruhi laughed uneasily. "Right." She waved off their arms. "After that clock tower ghost prank you both pulled on Halloween, I doubt anyone would believe you—Ah!" She screamed as she was nearly tackled to the floor as a pair of arms wrapped around her securely, holding her close to a firm chest.

"No need to fear, my dear Haruhi! Despite my love for you, I won't let them take you from me!" Tamaki bellowed, shaking Haruhi in his grasp and causing a vein to pop out of her temple in annoyance.

The twins gaped at Tamaki's words. "Is he finally admitting his feelings for her?" they whispered to each other, shocked.

"Don't worry! My _fatherly love_ will protect you! Those ghosts will not lay a finger on my beloved daughter!" Tamaki yelled gallantly, clenching his fist into the air.

"Oh," the twins deadpanned, "so _that's_ what he meant."

"Tamaki-senpai," Haruhi seethed, trying to pry his hands off of her. "There is no such thing as a ghost haunting the club room! Now, get off!"

"Tama-chan, where are you touching Haru-chan?"

"Gah!" Haruhi squirmed in Tamaki's grasp, who was still blabbering on about how he would protect her. "Don't touch my lower back! Get your hands away from there!"

* * *

Amber orbs watched vigilantly as Haruhi reprimanded their senior. Nothing had changed in the last few months since Haruhi had been forced to join the host club. Just like they had bickered back and forth on the first day they had met, they continued to argue even now—well, it mostly consisted of Haruhi shooting half-hearted barbs and heated reproofs while Tamaki took the full blow of them all. But Kaoru knew without a doubt it was simply the way Haruhi subtly and unconsciously told Tamaki that she cared deeply for him. In the same way, Tamaki's constant and ridiculous outbursts for Haruhi's safety were just proclamations of his love for her. No matter how many little spats they had or even whatever they may have been about, it was obvious to everyone in the club—except, of course, them—of their unwavering devotion and budding love for one another.

Kaoru knew that their love, when finally admitted to one another, would flourish into something completely wondrous—and he was awed by it. He couldn't help but be left in awe by it. Tamaki deserved such a love like the one Haruhi could possibly provide, and Haruhi deserved the same.

Despite their vast differences from each other, they were perfectly compatible. Impulsive and selfless, Tamaki would instantly rush to the aid of anyone in need. He may have been an idiot, but he was one of the most loving idiots that Kaoru knew. Haruhi, in contrast, was perceptive and easygoing, and Kaoru knew, from his experience from seeing her father, that she was fully capable of handling any kind of nonsense Tamaki would put her through – and she may even stop a few of his insane ideas.

But he knew it would be a long time before anything were to happen. Tamaki had set up boundaries between everyone, or "a magic spell," as Kaoru liked to call it – specifically to avoid a situation like that. Kaoru couldn't help but wonder if it were because perhaps Tamaki was afraid of ruining something so beautiful—this family idea he worked so ardently to make up—if he pursued a relationship with Haruhi. But he also knew that those boundaries were dwindling.

 _"And the sad part is, even though he is trying to stop it, this 'family' idea that he is trying to carry on…has already started falling apart."_

Kaoru glanced out of the corner of his eye, noting the way Hikaru had both his hands placed on Haruhi's shoulders, pulling her away from Tamaki, who was heatedly yelling about how he was some "shady twin" trying to take advantage of his daughter. Kaoru averted his gaze to Haruhi, who was now reprimanding the boss once again, and noted the way she had a small gleam in her eyes – a small gleam that was only present when she would speak to Tamaki. He envied Tamaki for it.

He didn't know when it had happened – when he fell for Haruhi. But what he did know is that he had fallen hard. She was different to the twins. She didn't fawn over them, didn't spoil them, didn't sugar-coat anything, and most importantly, she didn't ignore that they were also individuals. She recognized them not as a set of twins but as individual people with different personalities and desires. Kaoru thought that perhaps her perceptiveness was what caused him to develop feelings for her—well, that caused them _both_ to develop feelings for her. He knew of Hikaru's feelings, even if Hikaru was oblivious to them himself. Kaoru had spent years watching Hikaru, so he recognized the attraction fairly easily.

However, Kaoru knew Hikaru wouldn't make a move on Haruhi yet. He was slow when it came to romance and was hardly the selfless type. At times, he was often driven by his jealousy and would probably unintentionally hurt Haruhi as well. And Kaoru also knew that he wouldn't pursue Haruhi anytime in the near future because of his brother's feelings for her. Although Haruhi was important to him, Hikaru was more so. He had always known that Hikaru's happiness came before his own—and he never desired to try and prove otherwise.

Kaoru frowned, closing his eyes to take a deep, calming breath before he plastered on a façade of a smile to join in on his brother's antics.

Out of all the people Kaoru's heart could have chosen to love, it had decided on a young woman with hardly enough room in her own heart, for it was too preoccupied loving someone else, to love a man like him.

* * *

"I'm sorry to interrupt your incoherent delusions, Tamaki…" Kyoya's voice stopped all quarrelling as everyone turned their attention to the shadow king "…but there are no sweets because our last club activity had more customers than usual, seeing as it was the time when Honey-senpai recovered from his cavity." He snapped his notebook shut, tucking it under his arm. "Also, Akiko is probably just running late with her delivery."

Haruhi was surprised. "You seem pretty relaxed about that, Kyoya-senpai, considering that club activities are about to start in less than five minutes, and there are no sweets for our guests."

Kyoya smirked, lifting up his glasses as they gleamed. "Well, of course. I get a discount for every time the delivery is late."

"Of course. Why did I even bother asking?"

Kyoya's smirk fell as he set the notebook on top of his lap and looked towards the clock with a far off look. "Although…" his voice was soft, "…this would be the first time Akiko has ever been late with a delivery of ours."

Haruhi noticed the sudden change in his demeanor, catching the distant look in his eyes and recognizing it easily. _"He is concerned?"_ she thought, shocked.

Tamaki peeked over Haruhi's shoulder creepily, causing her to snap out of her internal musings and scream. "It is the work of ghosts, I tell you! They have already gotten to my dear Miyamura-hime!"

Haruhi slapped Tamaki upside the head. "Give it a rest, senpai!" she screamed, causing Tamaki to gasp and recede into his emo corner once again. Haruhi pinched the bridge of her nose, regaining her composure and looked back at Kyoya. "Um, Kyoya-senpai, if you don't mind me asking, just who exactly is this 'Akiko'?"

"Ah, right. You and the twins are always particularly late of club activities, so you three have yet to meet her," Kyoya recalled, sitting back in his chair. "Well, she is a classmate of mine—as well as Tamaki. She has been delivering many confectioneries since the opening of the host club, due to some arrangements we have with each other."

Haruhi gave Kyoya a suspicious glare. "You're not keeping her trapped in host club events because of some debt, are you?"

Kyoya feigned hurt. "My, my, Haruhi. Now, why would I do something so cruel to one of our prospective clients?" Haruhi looked at him with a straight face.

"It's quite the contrary, actually. This arrangement was desired and approved by both of our fathers. It was…well, one of the _terms_ , per say, for me being able to freely partake in the host club without any interference from my own father. Her father is the CEO and Chief Biomedical Engineer of one of the most leading companies for medical machinery and research, and he has had direct negotiations with the Ootori family for years, after all. This arrangement was necessary."

"And Aki-chan's _step-mother_ makes the best cakes!" Honey chimed, jumping into Haruhi's arms.

"And there is also that small detail," Kyoya added indifferently with the wave of his hand.

"Their cakes are so yummy and delicious that I often have her step-mother make them for me for my special cake night!" Honey exclaimed happily, crawling out of Haruhi's arms and back into Mori's.

Haruhi glanced back at the twins. "You two are awfully quiet about this," she observed.

They lifted up their arms, shrugging carelessly, "Even if we had heard about the woman..."

"…it wouldn't matter to us."

* * *

"It must be wonderful, Miyuki, to spend your days frolicking around and being completely useless," is what she wanted to say when Akiko caught up to her younger sister at the steps of the 3rd floor. But she didn't. As the one destined to be the least accomplished, she had no right to speak out against her sister. Although there were times where Akiko didn't accept her fate without a fight. There was, after all, quite a good amount of bickering and hair-pulling between the two when they were growing up.

Thank goodness that Miyuki had turned around on her own accord because Akiko honestly did not trust her own tongue if she were to be the one to speak first. "My goodness! What happened?" she shouted in despair, her blonde eyebrows knitting together as they usually did when she was cross. "Ootori-senpai is not going to be happy with me. What did you do, Onee-chan?"

Akiko wiped her sweat with her yellow sleeve. "What do you mean? It's not like I planned for this crisis to happen. My schedule was already packed, thank you very much."

Her younger sister whipped her curly blonde hair over her shoulder and stood with her hand on her hip. "Are you trying to tell me that you didn't do that?" she pointed to the cart.

"Did I intentionally pop the tires off? Of course not. Even _I'm_ not that desperate to _avoid_ Kyoya-kun."

"Not that!" Miyuki corrected. " _That_! You ruined my sweater that I told you to hold on to!" she pointed to a nearby white cardigan that had been placed under the cart to help Akiko slide it up the steps easily.

Akiko turned nonchalantly and admired her craftsmanship. "Oh, _that_. Yeah. I did do that." She admitted with the flick of her wrist. "I mean, I figured since you _did_ run off and leave me here on my own that I could make use of you somehow. Your sweater seemed to fulfill my needs adequately."

Miyuki laughed in a way that showed she was not at all pleased. "Isn't it a miracle that is my least favorite sweater?" she brushed it off and helped her sister by plucking off a large stack of boxes off of the cart. This was, after all, how she apologized. Regardless, Akiko was thankful that a quarrel did not break out, because Miyuki could be awfully strong-minded at times.

"It's your fault for not just making the bodyguards do this when we stepped off the delivery truck. Or when you found out that the cart was broken, you could have just informed my mother that making the delivery is impossible. She would not have been angry with you."

Akiko's rich, royal blue eyes surveyed the area for the familiar music room number three. "I think you forget that she is _your_ mother, Miyuki. She would not be angry with _you_. I, however, am resigned to living as an old maid. She doesn't need to warrant _me_ any mercy."

Miyuki rolled her dull green eyes. "Oh, pish posh. My mother loves you just the same."

Akiko had opened her mouth to speak but found that she could not argue with her sister's point. Akiko had no memory of her own mother, for she had been lost to an illness shortly after her birth. Her father rarely spoke of her, and Akiko soon understood that their marriage had been arranged. So it was no wonder that all he knew about her mother was that, "she was a good woman."

He had gone on to marry a young, pretty blonde delivery woman from a small pastry shop that would often deliver to his office, which soon led Akiko to believe that she had been a mistress at one point. Because Miyuki, her _half-_ sister, is only a few months younger, yet she hadn't met her or her mother or known about their expected marriage until she was four years old. But she did not mind. Reina, Miyuki's mother, raised her as if she were her own child. Being the daughter of another woman, this would have made Akiko appear to be a thorn in her step-mother's side, scorned for her different looks, but this was far from reality, for Reina considered her step-daughter to be very agreeable. Although, it was Miyuki that everyone had considered to be the most beautiful, which is mainly due to the fact that she inherited her mother's golden tresses and dull green eyes. Nonetheless, Reina was not one to pick favorites and treated all her children as equals...well, mostly.

She was called out of her internal musings when the cart slipped out of her grasp and nearly fell forward. Gasping, she barely saved it. "Miyuki, it would be easier if you just steadied the other end of the cart," she reasoned.

When she was rewarded with an unsettling silence, she peered around the tower of boxes only to find that her sister was nowhere in sight. "She probably ran off to see Kyoya-kun."

A frown settled on her face. "Of course. Kyoya-kun coddles her by order of his father, because she is to inherit the lower branch of the company. And what of me?" she asked the cart of boxes. "He skins me alive because I am to inherit a small pâtisserie. What a lucky fellow. If he cared for sweets, I would have poisoned the cakes by now."

* * *

In the music room, Tamaki continued to argue vigorously with the twins as he cradled Haruhi in his grasp. Haruhi had long since given up trying to fight off Tamaki and just let the twins continue to taunt him.

"It doesn't matter what you guys say. I know for a fact that there are ghosts involved! And I know everything there is to know about ghosts; it is one of the many interesting things about me." Tamaki hugged a limp Haruhi to his chest victoriously.

"Please," Kaoru began, "it has been two years since you first came to this school and met us…"

"…We know that there is _nothing_ interesting about you," Hikaru finished.

Tamaki let go of Haruhi, clutching a hand to his chest and gasping. "How dare you! There are many interesting things about me. Go on—ask me!"

"Okay…when are you going away? That is probably the only interesting thing we care about," they spoke lackadaisically.

"Mommy!" Tamaki cried, running over to Kyoya in a fit of tears. "The twins are saying hurtful things again!"

"No more than usual, Tamaki." Kyoya sighed exasperatedly, standing up to walk over to the other club members. He looked at the clock mounted on the club room wall, but before he could give orders to the club members, the doors to the music room opened with a mighty force.

"Ootori-senpai! I've arrived with the delivery!"

Kyoya barely had time to process what was happening before he collided with a petite woman carrying a large stack of boxes. Using his surprisingly quick reflexes, he steadied the boxes and the woman, who gazed at him in wonder. "Thank you, Kyoya-senpai!"

Kyoya tensed immediately when he felt her arms wrap around him for a grateful hug. His gray eyes tried, and failed, to suppress his agitation with the petite woman clinging to him.

She had long, blonde hair that cascaded down her lower back in ringlets and bright almond-shaped green eyes. Her skin was fair and her frame was small. The young woman stood only up to Kyoya's chest. She had a pleasant, child-like face where her enthusiastic character was ever present.

Everyone witnessing the event taking place gasped, horror-struck.

"She touched Kyoya-senpai!"

"That woman is dead!"

The twins screamed, hiding behind a rather frightened Haruhi. They all ran behind a nearby couch, peering over in anticipation on how they assumed their shadow king would act next.

Kyoya coughed into his fist, regaining his cool demeanor. His usual host smile spread across his face as he gently nudge the woman off of him and took her hand into his own. "Ah, Miyuki-hime, it is such a pleasure to see you again. Am I to assume that you have arrived with the desserts for today?" he inquired charmingly.

"Huh? He isn't going to let the exorcist force pop out?" The twins asked, mild disappointment evident in their tone.

Haruhi observed the scene closely, only able to come to one conclusion, "She must be a regular client of his. Now that I think about it, I have seen her face before. She's been in the host club almost every day." She looked back at the twins. "She is in the same year as us, but she is in a different class. What was her name, again?"

"Miyamura Miyuki," Tamaki spoke up suddenly, walking to Haruhi's side. "She is Miyamura Akiko's half-sister."

Haruhi looked around the room curiously, noting no other female presence in the room. "Then, where is Miyamura-senpai?"

"Yes," Kyoya inquired respectfully, "where is your sister, Miyuki-san?"

Miyuki went pale, taking back her hand from Kyoya and placing it over her mouth. "Oh no! I must have left her behind because I was in a rush to see you, Ootori-senpai!"

 _"She's painfully honest..."_ Haruhi sweat-dropped, leaving the couple and walking over to the door to see if their guest was near.

She stepped out of the room cautiously, looking every which way and spotting no one. "Huh…I guess she is not here yet—whoa!" Haruhi shrilled as she turned the corner of the hallway and ran head on into a person carrying a large tower of boxes.

Haruhi fell to the floor with a loud thud, shielding her head from the boxes raining down on her. Soon, the hallway grew quiet as the boxes stopped clattering onto the floor.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry," a silvery, soothing voice reached Haruhi's ears. "Are you injured?"

Haruhi opened one eye, struggling to see through her bangs. There in front of her was a young woman of medium height who, even when kneeling, held a regal and poised stature. She had an amiable face and, while not the most enthralling, she had many pleasing characteristics of her own. Her fair face was long and slender with large, knowledgeable royal blue eyes framed by thick ebony lashes. She had short midnight-black hair that floated just above her shoulders with long, wispy bangs that suitably framed one side of her face.

Despite her relatively simplistic beauty, it was her voice that caught Haruhi's attention the most. It was kind yet stern, and it gave her a nostalgic feeling. It reminded her of her mother's voice—a loving yet authoritative voice that subtly demanded to be heard.

"Excuse me?" the voice interrupted Haruhi's thoughts, causing the female host to blush deeply.

"Uh, yes! I'm the one who should be saying sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going," Haruhi apologized, standing up quickly and holding out her hand to assist the young woman, as a proper host should.

She fidgeted under the young girl's gaze, unsettled by the calculating look she was receiving. It was as if she had seen right through her façade. Even if she had, the young woman decided not to voice it. She just smiled and accepted Haruhi's offer. "It's alright. Don't worry about it. I could hardly see where I was going in the first place, so it was bound to happen eventually."

"Haruhi!" Tamaki appeared out of the club room, followed by the other hosts. He zipped past the young woman, causing her yellow dress to flutter about, and made his way to the female host. "Are you alright?! What happened?!"

Akiko keenly observed the young host, noting the way Tamaki seemed so protective over him. _"Fujioka Haruhi—the exceptional honor student that passed the scholarship exam with flying colors,"_ Akiko thought curiously. _"So, he's a host?"_

She looked over Haruhi, noticing how the young host's gestures were very odd for a male. Her eyebrows knitted together. _"His movements are very… feminine…especially the way he speaks."_ Upon seeing the way the other male hosts interacted with their junior and her eyes lit up knowingly. _"So, **that** must be it, huh? That's intriguing." _Although she noticed something peculiar about the young host, she decided against voicing her conclusions, recalling that Haruhi was wearing a male uniform, after all. And how embarrassing would it be if she were to bluntly and proudly state her opinion and be wrong about it? She would save her observations for a later date.

"We ran into each other," the female student finally addressed the hysterical blond.

He halted in his screaming and turned to acknowledge the female student. His expression lit up brightly. "Oh, Akiko-hime! It's a pleasure to see you aga—wait. Why are there boxes all over the floor?"

"I believe those would be our desserts," Kyoya concluded, reaching Akiko's side.

As soon as Akiko took notice of Kyoya, she instinctively covered her head, half expecting him to smack her with his notebook. "Why are you shielding yourself?" he asked, with an amused glint in his eyes.

"It's a conditioned reflex," she replied flatly.

Deciding that she was safe from Kyoya's punishment, for now, she reached down to pick up a box of sweets and assess the damage that had been done. Much to her dismay, the frosting of the cupcakes had smeared all over the top of the box. There was no way that she could present these cupcakes to the guests of the host club.

Kyoya peered over her shoulder, fixing his glasses on the bridge of his nose. "I'd hate to be the bearer of bad news, Akiko, but these desserts look absolutely revolting."

"It doesn't sound like you hate to be the bearer of bad news…" she mumbled, closing the box with a loud _thud!_

Charmed by the comment, Kyoya continued to pester her. "I also recall that these confectionaries were due in the club room a little over thirty minutes ago. Where were you?"

"Thirty minutes, huh? You know, that's _so_ long ago, Kyoya, I don't remember."

Kyoya hummed. "Well, I suppose that it is a good thing your memory is so short-term. It would be troublesome if you remembered that I deducted thirty percent off of your total earnings for today. Twenty, for the tardiness. And ten, for the ruined sweets that I consider void. At least your forgetfulness will make it less likely for you to hold a grudge, don't you think?"

His smile was so sly that Akiko wondered how he mastered charming women when he was the epitome of evil. "You despise me, don't you?" she grumbled.

"If I gave your presence anymore thought, I might." Akiko winced when he tapped her head roughly with the edge of his closed notebook.

At the other end of the hallway, Haninozuka rushed to pick up the boxes. He opened a box cautiously and exclaimed, "These sweets are okay! Yay!" He quickly started stacking the remaining boxes, along with Mori's help, and brought them into the club room just as the clock tower chimed, signifying the beginning of club hours.

Haruhi bent over, picking up some of the remaining boxes of the sweets that had messed up. She grabbed a stack and averted her attention to the young woman chatting idly with Kyoya. To her surprise, she noticed the way Kyoya listened to the woman's story intently, shooting her a half-hearted reprimand and smacking her head lightly with his notebook before opening it and jotting down additional notes. His behavior greatly changed from the act he had displayed to the woman's sister earlier. _"They seem to be well acquainted with each other. Well, enough for her to know the real Kyoya-senpai. I can't help but wonder why Miyuki-san doesn't know then?"_ she pondered, snapping out of her daze when Akiko walked up to her and plucked the boxes softly from her hands.

"Allow me to help toss those out." She smiled warmly, walking side by side with Haruhi.

Haruhi relaxed, falling into step with her long strides. After remaining in silence for a while, Haruhi began to understand why Kyoya felt comfortable enough to let loose around the woman. She had a calm, playful air, unlike her coquettish sister. Deciding to break the silence, she said, "Again, I'm really sorry about all this. A lot of the desserts were ruined. It must have been a lot of hard work and effort gone to waste. I can understand if you were upset at me."

Akiko broke into a lovely peal of laughter, which confused Haruhi enormously. She liked her apologies to be taken seriously. "I'm not upset at all. In fact, a lot of the desserts were already ruined before you even crashed into me. I should thank you; you gave me an excellent cover-up for the destroyed sweets."

"You're awfully easy going about this. Won't your family be upset for the lack of profit?" Haruhi persisted.

Akiko responded with a lackadaisical wave of her hand. "Perhaps. But my sister shares some responsibility in all this, so they might be a little more forgiving. They always are…toward her." This seemed to make her thoughts trail for a moment before she answered. "I'd like to think it is all about perspective as well. I _could_ focus on the fact that it took nearly all night to make this many sweets and how a good half of them are ruined, but I don't see the appeal in destroying myself for a peace of mind that I will never receive."

Haruhi admired her words. "That's very optimistic of you."

Akiko laughed, but this time the muscles in her face were tight and there was a dullness in her tone that wasn't present before. "That is one way to look at it. Optimism is just a form of control over your state of mind. And sometimes, in _our_ world at least, being able to control your perspective and emotions…is about the only amount of control that you have." She paused, snapping out of her reverie. "But I am rambling on now. Ignore me." She waved dismissively, tossing the ruined boxes into a nearby trashcan once they entered the room.

Before Haruhi could question her as to what she meant, Kyoya called out from his seat next to Miyuki. "You have clients waiting, Haruhi." He smiled charmingly, though behind a venomous aura. "But, of course, we can always add onto your quota if you wish to stay their chatting, hm? And Akiko, if you are planning to continue being a hindrance, I can always notify your mother about the mistake you made today?"

Both girls scowled deeply, slouching their shoulders. "He's the spawn of Satan," Haruhi mumbled under her breath, earning a light laugh from Akiko.

"No—I'm pretty sure he _is_ Satan."

"What was that?"

"Nothing. I'm coming, I'm coming." Haruhi nodded respectfully to Akiko. "Please, excuse me, Miyamura-senpai. It was a pleasure to meet you."

"And you as well," Akiko was genuine, giving her a deep bow before watching the young host walk off to her table where her clients were eagerly waiting.

Kaoru and Hikaru were the last ones to enter into the music room, trying to remain inconspicuous as they eavesdropped on Haruhi's conversation with the newcomer. Hikaru was the least intrigued of the two, not particularly caring about Akiko or her sister's sudden arrival. However, the woman's name continued to prod the corners of Kaoru's mind.

"Ready to go to our table and get this over with, Kaoru?" Hikaru asked lazily, looking up from his fingers, in which he was examining, only to find his brother making his way over to the young woman's side. "Kaoru?"

Hikaru effortlessly caught up, shooting his brother an odd look before Kaoru stopped in front of the woman, resting a hand on his hip. "So, your step-mother is Miyamura Reina, right?"

Hikaru perked up upon hearing this new information, becoming curious. "You mean, the owner of that small pâtisserie chain all over Japan?"

Akiko looked between the two and nodded apprehensively. "Yes, she is."

"So that is why her name sounded so familiar!" Kaoru started excitedly as they both linked arms.

"Your step-mother is the one that always provides catering for our mom's fashion shows!" they ended simultaneously.

Akiko brightened, staring at the twins in recognition. "You must be the Hitachiin twins. Reina talks frequently of you two. Although, I'm not sure which one is which," she admitted apologetically with a small bow of her head.

A Cheshire grin spread across each of the twins' faces. They glanced towards each other and nodded simultaneously, slinging their arms over Akiko's neck and ignoring the way she stiffened uncomfortably. "Then, would you like to play the 'Which One Is Hikaru?' game and take a wild guess?" They each leaned in seductively, enjoying the way Akiko became squeamish in their grasp. "And since it's your first time, if you win, we'll give you a _special_ treat."

"I'm afraid not," Akiko firmly rejected, slipping out of their clutches and holding her hands up in front of her complacently. "I know that I would certainly get it wrong." She looked between the two and smiled solemnly. "Also, I'd hate to disappoint you like that."

There was an eerie silence until Hikaru groaned. "Boo, that's no fun." He craned his head back, bored and proceeded to walk away. "Well, when you're ready to play, come to our table, Akiko-hime. See you! Come on, Kaoru." He waved his hand indifferently, seemingly oblivious to the severity of what Akiko had said.

But Kaoru caught it—and he would be lying if he didn't admit that she had unknowingly piqued his interest. They had many clients who rejected to partake in the 'Which One Is Hikaru? Game' before, but they had never had someone reject to play it for _that_ particular reason. Honestly, he was slightly irked by it. Perhaps because what she had said was true; they were still disappointed whenever someone would get it wrong.

Although the game used to have a more twisted meaning behind it when they were younger and just recently turned into a way to entertain guests, there was still a small spark of hope that one client—or anybody, really—would get it right without guessing. Many clients had often suggested that both Hikaru and Kaoru should change their appearances again so that it would be easier to tell them apart—like they had done before when they were pretending to quarrel with each other to mess with Haruhi. However, that would mess up the point of the game. They knew they could simply change each other's appearances to be told apart, but that's not what they actually wanted.

Kaoru had always wondered why they were so contradicting; they wanted to be told apart yet didn't want to be told apart. Eventually, he was finally able to figure it out, and this also helped him figure out the meaning of their game. They deeply desired for someone, like Haruhi, to be able to see past the similarities in their appearances and be able to see their inner most beings. They eagerly wanted to meet someone who could see their souls rather than their identical appearances. Yet, at the same time, they were frightened of when the moment would arrive where someone, aside from Haruhi, would be able to easily tell them apart.

Kaoru casted a sidelong glance at Hikaru, who was merrily chatting away with one of their guests. However, Kaoru could see that, although his appearance was jovial, his smile never quite reached his eyes.

 _"I don't think we are quite ready for more people to be able to enter into our world. At the same time, we are also not ready to step out into theirs—we don't want to be disappointed by the eyes of others that can only see our outward shells,"_ he thought sadly.

"Um, are you alright?"

Kaoru blinked, being called back to reality only to see alluring blue eyes gazing into his intently. He stepped back quickly, putting distance between the two of them.

"Ah, sorry," he laughed uneasily, blushing out of embarrassment. "I'm just fine."

"Are you sure?" she persisted, walking closer to him and reaching out to touch his face. "Your face is awfully red. I can check to see if you have a fe—"

"Ootori-senpai, that is so neat!"

Akiko was interrupted by the loud chortle from her half-sister, who seemed to find something Kyoya was doing on his laptop rather interesting. Akiko stopped, her fingers that were millimeters from Kaoru's face slowly curled into a loose fist and fell limply at her side.

The concerned expression on her face fell as she forgot what she was previously saying and was sidetracked by her sister's laugh. Kaoru examined the way Akiko looked down at the floor, as if having some internal struggle. He noted how she took a deep, reassuring breath before directing her attention to her sister, who was enraptured by whatever was going on at Kyoya's table.

It was then that he saw it, the way her jaw set tightly as she gazed upon the couple across the room. He was also able to witness the dimming of her once bright eyes as her sister's laugh rang against both of their eardrums.

"Akiko-nee!" Akiko stiffened when she heard her name being called. "Come over here! You have to see this!"

A thin, ghostly smile spread across her lips. She bowed respectfully to Kaoru, her voice small, "Please, excuse me. It was a pleasure to meet you, Hitachiin-san." She began to walk away and then looked back at Kaoru before grinning. "Perhaps we can play that game of yours at a more… _reasonable_ time."

Unable to come up with a response, Kaoru nodded, frowning as he watched her make her way over to Kyoya. His frown only seemed to deepen when the people present at the table, including Kyoya, could not read the small changes in her appearance.

 _"If only eyes could see a person's soul instead of appearances…"_ he reminded himself calmly.

"Hey, Kaoru! Hurry up!" Hikaru shouted, causing Kaoru to snap his head towards his twin's direction.

He walked towards the group hesitantly, almost wishing that club activities had never started. The clapping of their guests' hands resonated throughout his head. Hikaru walked up to him, setting a matching gray cap on top of his head to effectively cover which way each of them parted their hair.

Hikaru halted his actions, noticing that his brother was strangely quiet. "Are you alright?" Hikaru asked, fixing the cap on his head.

Kaoru smiled reassuringly, effectively deceiving his brother. "Yeah, I'm fine."

When his brother turned around, Kaoru closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to recuperate himself again. He plastered a weak grin on his face, taking his position next to his twin. However, behind his smile, he couldn't help but notice that the ache inside of him seemed to be growing—and it was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

"Now, then," they spoke excitedly in union, "let's play the 'Which One Is Hikaru?' game!"

…

 _"If only eyes could see a person's soul instead of merely focusing on appearances…_

 _…then maybe their world wouldn't be so difficult to experience."_

* * *

 **A/N: I have revised this story, as I was not pleased with how it was originally written despite the large turnout for just three chapters. I hope the content and flow of the story has improved to your liking. The first chapter has remained fairly the same with the exception of some changes to original characters, but the next two have not. Hence, why they have been deleted and will be re-added. If you have any questions and can't leave a review, because you left one previously, PM me or leave a review as a guest, but with your pen name instead.**

 **Next chapter will be up shortly. Returning readers, I hope you continue to follow me on this journey and thank you for your continued support.**


	2. The Concept of Selfishness

**STORY INFO:** I'd like to just make a brief note, in case you don't catch it within the story, that there has been a large time skip between the first chapter and second. We are to assume that a few months have passed by since Vol 4 Chapter 14 (when the story began) in the manga and Vol 4 Chapter 16 (when this chapter and the next chapter takes place). The Ouran timeline is very hard to follow. Forgive me. This is JUST before the events of the Newspaper Club episode. My reasoning is explained briefly in the chapter through narrative. Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions.

 **-…-**

 **Between Freedom and Loyalty**

Chapter 2: The Concept of Selfishness

-...-

Her quick steps shuffled down the porcelain staircase and headed toward the drawing room, where she was hearing her step-mother's muffled laughter. "Excuse me!" she cried to a nearby maid that she had nearly tripped her in pursuit.

She slid to a halt, grabbing the edge of the corridor wall in order to stop her from sliding past the opening of the room. But she was too late. Her step-mother had just placed the phone on the dock as she had tried to catch her breath to speak. "Goodness, child," Reina gasped through her pretty pink lips. "Is everything alright?"

"Was…that my father on the phone… just now?" she struggled through her pants.

Reina nodded. "He was just calling to see how the house is fairing. I don't understand why you are in such a hurry though, Akiko. You have a cellphone. Why not just call him?"

"I've tried, but he never answers my phone calls," she murmured.

Noticing her step-daughter's defeated countenance, Reina patted the seat beside her. "He is very busy. Don't be selfish, my dear. Your father is working very hard to expand his company, and right now is an important time for him."

"And what good does it do him to expand his company if he's never home?" Akiko reasoned.

Reina laughed garishly, as she often did when she was becoming cross. "Well, it does him the good of earning more money."

"And what good does it do him to earn more money?"

"Ah…well…it allows him to spend the money on his children and gives him more opportunity to further expand his company."

Akiko saw no reasoning in her step-mother's circular logical, but she decided not to press the matter. She was sure that Reina didn't even know why her father insisted on working so much, and it was useless for Akiko to explain to her. You see, Grown-ups don't have the capability to understand anything on their own, and it is very cumbersome for children and young adults to forever be explaining things to them, so Akiko decided not to. She would remain quiet and complacent and allow her step-mother to live in her…very _limiting_ imagination.

Saying nothing more, Akiko retreated back to her room quite defeated. She gathered her belongings and proceeded to Miyuki's room, where she knocked softly on the door. "Hey, Miyuki? I'm coming in." she announced before turning the door knob.

"Mff!" she was muffled by a yellow dress being thrown at her head. Grabbing the garment that clouded her vision, she was rewarded with the sight of her younger half-sister running about the room frantically. "Um…you seem to be having more _emotional diarrhea_ than usual. Is something going on? We're going to be late if you don't get into your uniform soon."

"Oh, ha ha," her younger sister mocked, rolling her eyes. She continued rummaging through her closet, many clothes flying about the room. "I can't find the right uniform to wear!"

Akiko looked down at the pile of yellow uniforms and back up to her sister, raising a quizzical brow. "Miyuki…they're all the same. You do know this, right?"

Her younger sister scoffed, as if Akiko had said the most idiotic thing she had ever heard. "They are not 'all the same.' There is a certain _feel_ to each of them. And I need to find the one that feels just right whenever I'm around Ootori-senpai."

" _Yeeeaaah_ , no. I don't know how to respond to that."

"You don't have to. Just look over there in that drawer and help me find it!" her hand stuck itself out of her large closet and pointed to the dresser across the room.

Akiko glanced at the dresser, then at her wrist-watch. She then weighed her options. She _could_ help her sister look for the feel-good uniform and waste an hour of her time, only for her sister to settle on the first uniform she picked…Or she could make her way to school on her own and save an hour, in which she would use to study. Running her options over in her head, Akiko shrugged, ignoring her sister's demands and walking out of the room.

"You're not going to leave without Miyuki-nee are you, Onee-chan?" Akiko heard from behind her as she descended the steps.

There, at the top of the steps, was a small boy that barely reached Akiko's hip. He had sparkling green eyes, like his mother, and disheveled blond locks, also taken from his mother. He was currently dressed in the Ouran Elementary Division uniform and was a proud 5th grader and heir to the Miyamura conglomerate.

"Naoki," Akiko addressed her half-brother, "Yes. I am. At the rate she is looking for that uniform, I won't be able to go to school until next spring."

"But you know that my mom said that you shouldn't leave without her. You need to stop being so selfish, Akiko-nee chan," the young boy reprimanded.

Akiko walked back up to the young lad and placed a comforting hand on his head. She smiled, though behind a blithely menacing aura. "Naoki, try and put yourself in my shoes for a moment. In fact, do you remember that time we were supposed to go to the amusement park with Ootori Kyoya's older sister?"

He glared at Miyuki's bedroom door and huffed, "How can I forget? Miyuki-nee chan took so long to get ready that by the time she finally picked out a dress, the park had already closed."

"Exactly." Akiko flicked his little button nose. "It's like that."

He seemed to brighten after much consideration and wrapped his arms around Akiko's waist. "Okay. I won't tell my mother then. You better get out of here fast, Onee-chan."

"Oh, I plan to." She waved, walking down the steps once again. "Mr. Akiyama," she called the young chauffeur over as she exited the house. "Would you mind escorting me to school?"

The young man perked up from cleaning the hood of the vehicle and smiled brightly. "Ah…Miss Akiko. Just you? Is your sister not feeling well?" He peeked behind her to see that the lively blonde was nowhere in sight.

"Other than being completely love struck, Miyuki is fine. But she will most likely be taking a while, and I would very much like to leave to school on time."

Mr. Akiyama, who was about to reach for her bag, stopped. A nervousness seemed to overtake him. "Um…My deepest apologies Miss Akiko, but I was informed by your mother that she did not want this incident occurring again…not since last time. So I am only to take you to school when Miss Miyuki is with you."

Akiko sighed. She should have known her step-mother would make such a rule, especially after she had left Miyuki at home that last time and also forgot to leave the school with her as well. This resulted in a sulking Miyuki who refused to speak to Akiko for a week, and it was the best and most quaint week of her life.

"No one would know," Akiko insisted. "You'd be back well before school starts and have just enough time to take her back."

Mr. Akiyama seemed to be considering this for a while, but he shook his head. "I'm sorry, Miss Akiko. Please, don't be selfish. I'll never hear the end of it from your step-mother if I oblige."

There it was again.

 _Don't be selfish_ , was something she always ever heard in her household…as if she were asking for the impossible. It was a lie continuously told by everyone in her house that was solely for her. _Everything that we are doing is to ensure you have a comfortable life,_ is nonsense that they had spoon fed her since she could first chew. It tasted sour and went down hard. And it was their way of attempting to make her feel included, like she was still an important use to her father, like she wasn't replaced. Inwardly, Akiko tried desperately to hold on to this delusion. But each time she heard those words it was like a crack had formed in the small container that she tried to keep this delusion in.

Akiko knew that it loosely translated into, _you're asking for too much_. And for a while, she really believed that she was. All her life she had been raised to be the complacent eldest daughter, taught to never crave any sort of adventure or fortune. Her parents had sculpted her life for her, raised her into the woman they needed her to be. And Akiko would be lying if she didn't admit that she wanted more. She wanted to change things, but that would never happen. She didn't know where to start. Or perhaps she did, but part of her was too content with the way things were now. In a sense, she was like a bird caged in the body of a girl who was too afraid of heights…

Akiko glanced at her wrist-watch again. She really didn't want to wait for Miyuki for the next hour, and the school was not far off. Her mother had said she was not allowed to leave without Miyuki in the car, but she did not say anything about leaving without her on foot. At this, Akiko was proud of her momentary defiance of her step-mother's wishes.

"Mr. Akiyama," she addressed the young man again. "Let Miyuki know that I went on ahead without her on foot. Maybe then will she feel a little guilty for being so vain."

Mr. Akiyama looked petrified. "O-On f-foot? But Miss Akiko, the ground is much too muddy and damp! It just rained—Miss Akiko! I wasn't done speaking to you!" The young chauffer called after the woman, who was now well down the paved driveway that was littered with puddles from the recent rains.

"I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Akiyama, but I was done listening."

Akiyama was horrified by her lackadaisical response. It was rare for Akiko to be this defiant. She was normally very agreeable and did nothing out of term, so this change in character came as a shock to him. He used his hands as a megaphone, still attempting to reason with the woman. "Please come back! It is awfully filthy outside right now! You never know what you might contract!"

"Fingers crossed that I get superpowers, then," she said with the flick of her wrist.

"Oh, this is not good." Mr. Akiyama bit his nails nervously, looking back at the house. He wasn't sure if he should go back in and inform Reina of the events that had just taken place. However, after remembering her fiery eyes from that one time he took Akiko to school before Miyuki, he decided that it wasn't the best idea.

He chose life.

* * *

After reaching the school with a little more than thirty minutes to spare, Akiko made her way to the library on the top floor of the school, for it was always the quietest and least packed of the four libraries. That, and she often volunteered on her spare time. It was the closest that she could get to books without her step-mother reprimanding her that her time needed to be spent learning how to manage the pastry shop.

Akiko was, after all, the most studious of her siblings. She read a great deal, and very soon realized that she had little chance at having an interesting future once she was five years old. She could recall a time when she was five that she read a magnificent comic book, titled _The World of Fantasy,_ about wizards, elves, and dwarves. She was so fascinated by an eloquent drawing of a dragon in the act of battling a dire wolf, that after pondering over it for quite some time, she completed her first attempt at drawing a manga panel.

She was so proud of her work, and quite eager to show others, that she ran to Reina's side while she was fixing her father a hot cup of tea. She asked if the manga panel had fascinated her as it had Akiko. Her step-mother glowered at the drawing and answered, "Oh, my! What a magnificent drawing of a snake!"

It was not a drawing of a snake. It was a panel of a dragon terrorizing a town – not exactly what one might expect from a five year old. But since her mother was incapable of understanding it, she emphasized the wings of the dragon and showed it to her father this time, instead. Surely, _he_ would understand. "My darling, snakes don't have wings. You should stop wasting your time on such things and help your mother attend to the shop. You have an even better future learning a handy trade rather than focusing on pointless fantasies."

And that is why, at the age of five, Akiko gave up what would have been a promising career as a mangaka and focused solely on learning how to decorate cakes. "After all, someone has to manage the shop or else there will be no pastries to sell," Akiko told the book she was adjusting in the library shelf. She had just finished rearranging the last of the aisle when a thought came to her. "Does it really matter if there are no cakes to sell?" she asked. "It's not like it is doing any good. These privileged people can do with a little less sweets in their already plump stomachs, if you ask me."

Realizing this wondrous notion, Akiko was within an ace of not having any plans to return to her home when the evening were to come around and setting out of the house to pursue her passions, until she remembered that she was the eldest of three and there was no point. She grabbed another stack of books, sighing. "And here I thought I was just as strong-willed as Miyuki. What a joke."

* * *

"Are you sure that they have it? We looked in the other three libraries below and they didn't." Haruhi asked, walking in before the twins as Hikaru held the door open.

"Who knows? It's probably pointless to ask the librarian; they never know where anything is." Kaoru spoke up, gesturing the group into a small circle. "We'll probably find the reference material faster if we split up. I'll go look in the history section. Hikaru, you should go with Haruhi to look in the science section."

At his brother's orders, Hikaru perked up. "Huh? Why can't she just go by herself?" he drawled, ignoring Haruhi's "What's with that attitude?" Although, Kaoru could tell that Hikaru was just frightened to be alone with the young woman. He never was particularly good at carrying a conversation.

Kaoru shook his head, already beginning to walk off before his brother could have the chance to retort. "The shelves in the science section are much higher, since they are mounted against the wall. It'll be dangerous if Haruhi climbs the ladder without someone watching her." _And it gives you time to be alone_ , is what he wanted to add. "I'll catch up with you guys later."

Borrowing his hands in his pockets, Kaoru made his way to the history section on the second floor of the library. But he didn't look for a book right away. Instead, he decided to bide his time and took a seat on the floor by the shelves. He knew that his brother and Haruhi would take a while, since Hikaru would probably make it very difficult for Haruhi to concentrate on her task. Most likely, he would end up being rowdy and she would have to reprimand him like a child…which might take her a few minutes. The thought made Kaoru chuckle to himself, although it wasn't filled with happiness. It was a laugh that was filled with something equivalent to longing.

He knew that he was troubling his own soul. He knew that he should grow enough confidence to pursue Haruhi if he really wanted to be happy. But it went against everything he stood for as a sibling. Hikaru's happiness should always be his top priority. If Hikaru was content, then so was Kaoru…or at least that is what he tried to convince himself of. Therefore, no matter how much it hurt him, he would try to make things easier for his brother and create an environment that would allow his brother to realize his feelings for the young cross-dressing host.

No matter how much he didn't really want to.

As Kaoru leaned his head back against the bookshelf, he began to ponder why he was so twisted. After much recollection, he settled on the conclusion that he was the way he was now because he once held on too tightly to the desire to be loved, and when it slipped away, it took a large piece of his soul with him…

Hearing a loud _thud!_ to his left, Kaoru jolted upright and away from his internal musings. The noise was followed by a loud curse and then mumbling. He was surprised to find a familiar distressed looking woman with wondrously, royal blue eyes narrowed into thin slits as she spoke to herself, reciting many words that were not proper of a young woman to say.

She seemed to be entirely entranced in her task. So much so that Kaoru was certain someone could throw a heavy metal concert right in the middle of the library and she wouldn't even notice! She did not flinch when their came a loud gasp and a muted bang from her right, followed by a hurriedly bitten-off cuss word from Kaoru as he had slammed the back of his head against the shelf. She did not stir from her task when Kaoru, rubbing the back of his scalp, fumbled to arrange the stack of books that had fallen from the shelf and wounded him. She did not turn when, giving up on arranging the books and just shoving them in the shelf, Kaoru laid down on the floor beside her on his stomach, cupping his chin in his hands and crossing his legs behind him. "That's some serious concentration." He whistled.

Upon inspecting the woman for the last two months—it was now mid-spring—and only conversing with her when necessary, he found that she was certainly someone to marvel at. He never really paid her any mind after they had first met, as Hikaru was not piqued enough by her for them to even get close to her. Hikaru had gotten annoyed with her conceit, or at least that is what he thought it was, and refusal to play their game. His sibling had been persistent for the first few weeks. But Akiko always denied his advances, insisting that she would only agree when she was confident that she could tell them apart. And shortly after, Hikaru grew bored and began to entertain himself with other, more fickle prey.

Kaoru, on the other hand, found her responses to be intriguing. She was an odd mixture of wit and humility, a contradiction that Kaoru couldn't unravel…and eventually Kaoru gave up on trying to figure her out and let it be…

Kaoru perked up when he noticed her skirt. It was small things like this that captivated him. The hem of her skirt was nearly six inches deep in mud and the ivory of her stockings was barely visible underneath a murky color that made them match her dark shoes. Yet…she did not seem fazed by it at all. In fact, regardless of her messy state, she seemed quite content arranging the books and talking amongst herself.

Akiko resumed her task, unaware of the creeping twin. She didn't break out of her concentration until she heard someone mumbling. She jumped upright, rather irritated to discover that _she_ had been the one mumbling. "You certainly like to talk to yourself, huh, Miyamura-senpai?" she heard from her right, causing her to gasp.

"Hitachiin-san!" Her eyes were wide and she was clutching her hand over her chest. "What on earth are you doing here?"

Chuckling victoriously to himself, Kaoru pulled a stain remover stick from his pocket and held it out for Akiko to take. "You have a little mud on your…Well, _everywhere_ in fact. Did you walk to school, Miyamura-senpai?"

Akiko's cheeks grew hot, thoroughly embarrassed to be seen in such a state. "I did. I'm afraid my sister was taking way too long." She kindly declined the stain remover.

"So you decided to walk? Didn't you have a car to drive you?" Kaoru persisted, as was characteristic of the twins. They did not care about things like boundaries.

At this, Akiko neglected his gaze. "It's…complicated…Anyway, what can I help you with, Hitachiin-san? Or did you simply come here to give me a heart attack?"

Kaoru cracked a crooked grin. "Not exactly…but I'd think that you'd give anyone _else_ a heart attack with your current state of appearance."

His playful remark rewarded him with the roll of Akiko's eyes as she smiled pleasantly. They remained in a comfortable silence until Kaoru remembered what he came to the history section for. "Actually," he rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a note, "I need to find these books listed here. It's for a collaboration research paper."

Akiko raised a quizzical brow at the long list. "And you need this many reference books for _one_ research paper?"

"It has to be thirty pages long."

"Ha! Why do a thirty page research paper when the transfer application for Ouran Public School is only ten pages long?" she playfully quipped, guiding him over to a shelf two aisles down.

"Lately, I have been contemplating that same question myself. This assignment isn't even close to being done, but I certainly am," Kaoru added, earning a lovely fit of laughter from young woman beside him, who was now climbing up a small ladder to get the books.

Kaoru kindly stood at a distance from her, as to not peer under her skirt, yet close enough in case she were to fall. The silence between them was not at all unwelcoming, as it usually was with other women Kaoru conversed with – except maybe Renge. And Kaoru was certainly not opposed to this new atmosphere. In fact, he quite liked it. It was not as comforting as it was when he was around Hikaru or even Haruhi…but it was calming. Although the silence did not last long when he began to hear faint mumbling from above him. He could have sworn he heard her say, "Now, now, book. Someone has finally come to take you and you are playing hard to get. No one will check you out at this rate."

He blinked, intrigued. "Um…Miyamura-senpai?"

"Hm?"

"Do you talk to the books as a rule while sorting or looking through them?" If her face could get any more red, Kaoru was certain that it would match the roses in the maze garden. Akiko seemed to be quite aware herself that she had such a habit, and she did not seem pleased at all to have someone point it out.

"Ah…Well…"—her jovial countenance dissipated—"…Like mostly every child here in Ouran, there's really been no one else much to talk to, honestly. With my father off on business trips and my mother dutifully handling the shop, I found myself talking to cakes and books more and more each day!" She laughed wearily, climbing down the steps and taking Kaoru's hand that he had offered her to keep her steady as she descended.

"What about your siblings?" Kaoru mumbled a brief "Thank you" as he took the books from her.

She walked back to her station and picked up the books she had left on the ground. She took a while to form her response tactfully. "Miyuki is busy chasing her fortune and Naoki is busy being prepped to take over the company. They don't have much time to keep a nobody like me company and I can't say that we are on the best of terms either. I, however, have plenty of free time…" Her gaze met Kaoru's, but there was something close to defeat swirling in them. She smiled solemnly. "…I…just make cakes."

And saying nothing more than a brief goodbye, she walked away from the twin and vanished amongst the crowd of students that entered the library as school was put in session. Something about what she said didn't sit well with him, but he barely knew the woman…and he wasn't going to push his boundaries any more than he already had. However, he had begun to feel as if he had formed a very interesting companionship. And the very thought excited him.

* * *

As Akiko walked into the empty class leisurely, she stopped dead in her tracks as something suddenly dawned on her. She hadn't asked which twin she had been talking to. "At this rate, I'm never going to be able to play their little game. That was rather rude of me, wasn't it?" she asked her science book as she held it to her chest. "I'd have to ask them at the club room next time I see them."

Akiko sat at her desk and pulled out her sketch pad in which her mother encouraged her to design cakes and decorations for table set ups. It was about as close as Akiko could get to drawing, although she would sadly admit that she was not good at it. Why should she be? Her dream career as a mangaka was discouraged in order for her to make cakes. Nonetheless, she enjoyed what little bit of drawing that she could squeeze in. It was so liberating. So much so that Akiko hadn't even noticed that class was in session and continued to sketch her way until 5th period, which marked study period. She didn't come to until she heard someone clear their throat. "Akiko-chan," came a smooth, enthralling voice.

Akiko jolted up in her seat, hurriedly covering her lame sketches. She relaxed when her eyes locked on to a familiar spectacled boy. "Oh, hello, Kyoya-kun. Have you come to ruin my day?"

"As tempting as that suggestion sounds, I did not," chided the boy, tapping a folder against his shoulder. "I've come to ask you for a favor, in fact."

If Akiko's jaw could slack anymore, she was positive it would have reached the floor. Ootori Kyoya? Asking her…or _anyone_ , in fact, for a favor? She didn't think it was possible. While she was not particularly close to Kyoya, she was far from being a simple classmate. Their fathers had been doing business together since before the two were born. And while they were not raised together, they occasionally had 'play dates' whenever their fathers had something important to discuss. So they spent most of their childhood together. Although their 'play dates' were just various activities to try to determine which offspring was of superior breeding, in which Akiko always lost…horribly. As a result, she knew just how cunning and conniving Kyoya could be. However, with Miyuki he was a proper gentleman. It was mostly due to Miyuki's inheritance and by his father's orders. Somehow, the thought of knowing the real Kyoya made Akiko feel as if she had finally surpassed her sister in some way. Not that she would ever admit it …

"Akiko-chan." Kyoya called her out of her thoughts.

"Oh, yes. Well, seeing as you are the son to the family of well-known public health conglomerate, I get the feeling that I should be very concerned," she quipped. "As long as it doesn't involve petroleum jelly and rubber gloves, I'm all ears."

Ignoring her comment, Kyoya handed her the folder in his grasp. "Ooh, business man now, are we? What's this?" Akiko asked curiously looking over the various pictures within the folder.

"It is for an upcoming event for the host club. The theme is _Heian Aristocratic Garden_."

Intrigued by the photo of a Yarimizu flowing through a garden, Akiko asked, "And you'd like me to come up with a pallet of sweets for the events…or some other form of catering?"

"Actually, I've already run the order through with Miyuki when I ran into her this morning as she was looking for you." He pointedly glanced at her disheveled, muddy dress but said nothing of it.

At this information, Akiko scowled, closing the folder. "If you've already ran it through with my dear sister, then what on earth do you need me for?" She was surprised by the harsh tone in her voice, but the thought of Kyoya casually conversing with her sister brought up a feeling that she would have rather ignored.

Kyoya seemed to catch it as well, but chose to ignore it. "Well, this is more of a request from Tamaki. He'd like you to design an advertisement for the event, considering how you always seem to be distracted by your sketch pad."

This came as a shock to Akiko. She never understood Tamaki and his antics. "Why would he need me when he has a fine pair of twins with experience in design and art? My sketches are nothing to flaunt over," she mumbled, glancing down at the simplistic drawings in her notebook with a forlorn expression.

"He simply wanted to see if you were up for the task. If not, he was fine with using the twins." Kyoya began, leaning over the table and tapping her sketch pad. "But I insisted on it."

Akiko could tell that he was serious from the way his face held that same inscrutable expression that she sometimes found herself completely enthralled by. And as her royal blue orbs clashed against his charcoal gray, something in Akiko quivered with excitement. Her fingers twitched anxiously, itching to reach out for her pencil once more. However, she stopped short. "Why would you insist on me? I'm just a girl who designs cakes. Miyuki has taken art classes before and I dare say she is quite good. Asking _her_ would help you get on good terms with my father, wouldn't it? You have nothing to gain by pandering to me."

Kyoya frowned, as if he was slightly offended by the accusation. "True. I'd have a much more fruitful turnout if I were to continue flattering your sister. And I'm certain that my father would be pleased with the turn-out of events. But I don't exactly wish to spend any more time with her than necessary. Besides…" He smirked. "… it is a lot more interesting this way. So, am I to expect you in the club room tomorrow afternoon?"

"I never make plans that far ahead, Kyoya-kun," Akiko said flatly. "And it's quite selfish of you to decide this all on your own."

She was ready to receive a witty retort, but instead she received silence. Kyoya seemed to be contemplating her words for a moment. And when he finally looked her way, his expression was stoic, yet had a gentleness to it that Akiko rarely had the privilege of seeing herself. "I suppose it is. We all deserve to be selfish. Otherwise, I wouldn't be in the host club." He turned around and slyly threw over his shoulder, "And you deserve to be a little selfish too, Akiko."

Akiko sat, mesmerized by his words, for at least five minutes. At the sound of the lunch bell, she took out her glass bento from her bag on the side of her desk. But her sense of appetite had fled her. She glared at her reflection on the top of the bento and back to the folder that Kyoya had left her.

"Is it really okay for me to want more?"

* * *

 **A/N: To** **clear up some confusion that was mentioned previously in a PM. Akiko and Miyuki are a few months apart by about several months (remember Miyuki _was_ illegitimate). However, they both are in separate grades because we are to assume that Miyuki reached the cut-off age requirement when they started their schooling. I will be going back into the first chapter and editing that for clarity. If you are ever confused about something else, please PM me and I will adjust the story to be clearer. My readers being able to fully understand the story is VERY important to me as an aspiring author.**

 **Thank you! I encourage you to please leave a review. It is what keeps me writing, after all.**


	3. To Save a Princess

**Thank you to all who reviewed, followed, or favorite! I'm so happy that this story is receiving so much love. To anyone who reviewed as a GUEST, from now on I will be writing my responses at the end of the chapter under the title GUEST RESPONSES! The rest of you can just skip that section. Also, anytime I write STORY INFO at the top, I encourage you to read it as it will pertain to the story.**

 **I hope this chapter is to your liking, seeing as I wrote it when I should be studying for an exam that I am taking in a few hours. XD**

 **-…-**

 **Between Freedom and Loyalty**

Chapter 3: To Save a Princess

 **-…-**

"President! We have found no information on Suoh!"

"Well, search harder! There has to be something here!"

Akiko straightened up from her task of arranging the newspaper articles in a bin within the newspaper archives. Dusting herself off and fixing her yellow dress, she walked over to where the bickering could be heard. Within the midst of articles being flung around carelessly, she saw the Ouran Newspaper Club President, Komatsuzawa Akira, frantically searching through the archives. Upon noticing the mess, Akiko could feel her cheeks rouge out of anger. "What on earth are you doing, Komatsuzawa-senpai?!" she exclaimed sternly, causing all three boys in the room to freeze.

"M—Miyamura-san!" the president shouted in surprise, holding an article behind his back and trying to cover the mess he had made. "We were just…strengthening our friendship under the wonderful bloom of the cherry blossoms!"

Akiko rolled her eyes. "You know, I would have believed you…if it weren't for the small fact that you are **_inside_.** "

Laughing nervously, Komatsuzawa adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose. "Oh, we're inside?! Silly me! I must have just been drawn to the articles…being son of a publishing company conglomerate will do that to you sometimes!" He masked his annoyance with a pathetic smile. Komatsuzawa really had hoped that Akiko was not the one on duty for two specific reasons. One, he knew that because of her father, she was well acquainted with Kyoya and would no doubt tell him what she saw. And two…he knew—from his many previous trips to the library for information— just how much she loved her stations to be kept tidy and could possibly spill blood if she were angry enough.

"Uh, huh," said Akiko skeptically, walking menacingly toward the president. Snatching the paper out from behind his back, she looked over the contents of the article. "So you are looking for information on Suoh-san?" she asked curiously.

"Will you look at that?! You caught me! It is for…uh…an article about how magnificent he is!" the president lied, quivering in his shoes at the glare he was receiving. It almost rivaled Ootori Kyoya's.

Akiko didn't particularly care for the president very much. This was mostly due to the fact that at one point in middle school, Komatsuzawa wrote in his tabloid "OU Spot" about a love affair that Miyuki was apparently caught up in with 3-D's Takazaki, the heir to a construction conglomerate. Although the notion was outrageous, given that Miyuki had only ever conversed once with Takazaki to return a handkerchief, it still sparked a lot of buzz from the students in Ouran Middle and made Reina very displeased, for Miyuki would never get a fortune if she were to end up with someone from 3-D. Since then, Komatsuzawa became something of a pest to Akiko. And she would have nothing to do with him…

Clucking her tongue against the roof of her mouth, Akiko shoved the paper back into his grasp. She knew that he was lying, but she also knew something else: they wouldn't find anything on Tamaki. "Very well. You may continue. Just clean up this mess for me when you are finished." She turned around to walk away before casually throwing over her shoulder, "But think about it, Komatsuzawa-senpai. Do you really think that our beloved chairman would put delicate information in _his own_ archives about his son? By all means, search until your heart is content, though. Good day."

Akiko chuckled when she heard a loud "Damn it!" as she walked away from the archives. Looking at the time mounted on the wall, she noticed that only an hour had passed of club activities and that she still had time to relay the events that just took place to a certain ebony haired companion. She thought it wise for him to know, and she had to return the request he had asked from her the previous day.

Decidedly making her way out of the library, she walked down the hall to the host club. She did not have to walk very far, for the host club was only a few doors down from the library on the top floor. When she entered the host club and ignored the flurry of flower petals coming through the door, she was surprised to find that they were all present and still hadn't moved the Heian event down to the court yard.

Akiko was left in awe by their outfits, which were intricately designed _sokutai_ often worn by courtiers, aristocrats, and the Emperor within the Japanese imperial court. She was disappointed to discover that none were wearing a _kanmuri_ ; she would have loved to have seen how Tamaki would've looked in those funny, skinny looking hats that seem to hug one's head and then stretch out for a good foot or so like a pole sticking out of the ground. The thought made her chuckle. "Find something amusing, Akiko-chan?" she heard from her side as Kyoya reached her.

"Good afternoon, Kyoya-kun. You're looking quite angelic. I almost didn't recognize you _not_ terrorizing my day," she playfully teased.

"I am glad that you enjoy the costumes, because Tamaki wanted to dress you in a _jūnihitoe._ Well, it was originally designed for Haruhi, but she refused and then he insisted that it had to be you." Kyoya held up the heavy garment for Akiko to observe.

"Haruhi, huh?" she pondered thoughtfully. This didn't come as a surprise. Over the course of the last two months, Akiko was able to confirm that Haruhi was indeed a woman, and when she ran it by Kyoya, he properly threatened her in order to make sure it would remain a secret. It didn't really matter to her anyway. It's not like it affected her…

Akiko raised her hands in protest. "I'll pass. No way am I going to wear twelve layers of a kimono. I can barely walk around right in _one_ layer, let alone twelve. Besides that is not why I came here."

Seeing the seriousness in which overtook her, Kyoya set the outfit down and listened intently. He could be surprisingly easy to talk to whenever he wasn't playfully quarrelling with the young woman. "Is something the matter?"

"No…not really. It is more of a bit of advice." Kyoya could see that she was earnest. "It is about the Newspaper Club. I think they are planning something. I ran into them a few minutes ago searching for files on Suoh-san and thought that it would be wise to tell you."

Considering this, Kyoya rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That does sound troublesome. Whatever could they want?"

"I'm not certain, but I do have a guess. As of late the Newspaper Club has been going under due to their recent decline in sales. I wager that they are desperate and are targeting the biggest scoop in the school: Tamaki," she explained.

"That could very well be possible," Kyoya agreed, placing a grateful hand on her shoulder before he guided her out of the room as all members left to the courtyard. "Even without you telling me, I had my suspicions. Nonetheless, your help is appreciated. Will you be joining us down by—Tamaki, what the hell are you doing? Everyone is leaving to the courtyard already." Kyoya stopped to address the young blond who was pacing back and forth frantically.

"Now, I know that not everyone is in the mood to hear some of my ideas right now…"

"That's a safe bet," Kyoya interrupted, holding the door open for Akiko as they both stepped out of the club room with Tamaki following them.

Tamaki ignored his comment and continued "…but I had a thought."

"Congratulations."

"Will you stop interrupting and hear me out, Kyoya?!" Tamaki shrilled, leaning in front of Kyoya. He waited of a few moments, taking Kyoya's silence as complacent compliance and raised his finger into the air proudly. "I think—"

"No."

"B—but you didn't even let me finish!"

"I already know what you are insinuating, and the answer is no; Haruhi has not been abducted by those 'shady twins' who, you believe, are secretly aliens," Kyoya said, walking ahead of the group.

Tamaki was persistent. "But that has to be the reason that she has disappeared! Everyone in the club is here except for her! They have to be responsible!"

Ignoring Tamaki's relentless shouts, Kyoya turned to Akiko and smiled charmingly in order to mask his annoyance. "If you'll excuse our president's behavior, please. He suffered a blow to the head yesterday from Haruhi, and it has rendered him completely obnoxious." He whipped his head back around to Tamaki. "Stop being a nuisance. Haruhi has been down by the courtyard with Mori-senpai since the start of club activities helping to set up the rest of the décor and catering."

Kyoya and Akiko chatted the rest of the way peacefully with a sulking Tamaki following shortly behind. It was not unusual for them to casually converse, for they did have similar perspectives on a variety of subjects, and Kyoya was always interested in thought provoking conversations. Despite their sarcastic bickering, the two could hold a very pleasant conversation when necessary, more so than Kyoya ever could with Miyuki, of whom his father had often encouraged him to get close to. However, growing up and even now, it was Akiko's company that he preferred over her sister. And that is why he made the following suggestion, for he couldn't stand to be in Miyuki's presence for much longer. "Will you be accompanying your sister and me this afternoon? I don't have many guests to attend to and will only be keeping tabs on how long each one is spending with Tamaki."

And that is when Kyoya realized his mistake. The snark brightness in which usually inhabited her royal orbs had dulled just a fraction and there appeared to be a small tension in the air. "I—" she looked down at her feet as she often did when she felt uncomfortable. "I think I'll pass. I have to be getting back to the library." She smiled with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

Kyoya made a mental note to be more careful about how he approached her, for he knew that what he had done—asking her to provide for the host club—was already torture enough. Even Tamaki was opposed to it at first, giving him a lecture about the heart of a woman, of which he ignored.

He was perfectly aware of the afflictions within the hearts of women, and he knew that he had, at one time, caused Akiko a great amount of pain. However, Kyoya prided himself with being honest. Akiko had confessed her feelings for him on their last day in Ouran Middle, of which Kyoya rejected her advances and told her that, because of her position, he had no reason to pursue her. Of course, he said it more delicately than that, but that is the core of what he said. And it was not that he hadn't entertained the idea for a while, for Akiko was a very amiable partner—quietly beautiful with a quick mind and smart mouth. But it wouldn't benefit him in any way. And thus, the thought was discarded. Eventually, they had both reached an agreement to not let their personal lives cloud their business relations, and that is what this was: business…

Remembering the other reason for her coming to the host club, Akiko scrummaged through her bag that was slung over her shoulder and handed Kyoya the poster. "It's nothing to marvel at, but I did what I could with what little time you had given me. Yesterday afternoon I took the liberty of photocopying them and hanging them around the school."

Kyoya smiled, intrigued. "So I saw. Tamaki did as well, and he was very pleased with the results. He insists that he would like to borrow your skills again."

A deep blush flared across Akiko's cheeks, thoroughly embarrassed by such flattery. In truth, as soon as Kyoya had given her the task, she had begun working on it that instant. Her mother was far from pleased when she had discovered that the reason for Akiko being late to the shop after school was to draw a poster. However, after she explained to her mother that it was Kyoya who had assigned her to the task, her mother canceled her shop duties for the entire week. She even purchased her a new sketch pad dedicated entirely to the host club! Although Akiko knew this was largely because of Kyoya's influence and her mother's desire for fortune, she was still pleased to have drawn something other than cakes. Akiko stared at her feet timidly. "If it isn't any trouble with you, I'd be more than happy to take on another task when needed—whoa!"

Akiko gasped when she felt an arm slung over her shoulder from her right and felt a lithe body lean against her left. "Miyamura-senpai~" the twins chimed sinisterly.

"Hikaru, Kaoru, don't man handle the guests," Kyoya reprimanded, earning a whine from the twins.

"But Kyoya-senpai…" began one.

"…We were just wondering…" said the other.

"…If Miyamura-hime had already been assigned a host."

Kyoya was about to inform them that it was customary for Akiko to spend the rest of the afternoon as his client. However, after remembering their conversation shortly before, he reconsidered. "Akiko-chan will be returning to the library, so she is not in need of a host."

At this, the twins drawled. "Aw. But we have one more space at our table to taste-test the pastries we had imported."

"I believe I already—"

"That's alright, Kyoya-kun," Akiko interrupted, much to everyone's surprise. "I think that I will stay for today's event, seeing as tasting some imported confectionaries sounds like a good way to think up a different pallet for the shop."

At this reasoning, Kyoya could not really refuse. However unusual it was for Akiko to want to converse with the twins, seeing as she had always seemed to avoid them, he was not opposed to the idea. Akiko becoming familiar with the members of the host club would allow her to be present in the club room more often…which meant that she could save him from Miyuki when needed. Kyoya nodded. "Alright. Don't do anything unpleasant, you two," he warned as he made his way back to Miyuki and his other guests, leaving Akiko to her doom.

She released a heavy sigh as he walked away. As soon as Kyoya had left, one of the twins seemed to completely lose interest in the situation and casually moved away from her. He looked bored as he examined his nails and Akiko was certain that he was not the twin she had conversed with previously. Suddenly remembering the arm around her shoulder once it was pulled away, she turned around. This twin had a different expression. It was gentle…more approachable. "You're the one from the library, right?" She asked bluntly, earning a look of shock from both twins.

She seemed to realize that she had been pointing and quickly set down her hand at her side. Ashamed of her ill behavior, she refused to make eye contact with the twins as she spoke, "Eto…I mean, I just assumed that you were. I apologize, but I am still not sure as to which one of you is which."

Kaoru's wide eyed stare rivaled that of a deer caught in headlights. He couldn't help but marvel at how she had recognized him, even if she didn't know his name. For a moment, Kaoru wanted to run back inside and look in a mirror in an attempt to find something…anything that would tell him how she had recognized him. Had he formed a bruise from when he slammed his head against the bookshelf? Or a tear on his uniform from when it got caught on the library counter? Or was he accidentally holding one of the books he had asked her to help him find? It couldn't have been that she was actually able to tell him apart from his brother, right? The thought was preposterous. _No one_ , aside from Haruhi, could tell them apart. He didn't want to get his hopes up, but he couldn't ignore the gentle waves of excitement that rippled throughout his body when he gazed into her ocean blue eyes. He swallowed the lump in his throat hard. "Y—Yeah. I'm Kaoru," he said weakly.

Her mouth, which had been parted into a small 'o', stretched into a wide grin. "Kaoru," she repeated again for reassurance, letting his name roll off the tip of her tongue like water into a harsh dessert, and he, a thirsty traveler.

Kaoru grunted when Hikaru pat his back, finally deciding to join in on the conversation, "And I'm Hikaru."

"I get that…but what are you doing here? It's never been of any importance to approach me before?" she asked curiously.

At this, Hikaru cracked a sloppy grin, posing with Kaoru as they showed off their intricately and beautifully sewn _sokutai_. "Well, our costumes were influenced by noblemen and rulers of the Imperial court, so we thought it would be entertaining to play the part of a prince and save a princess…" began Hikaru vivaciously, propping himself on her shoulder.

"…and you look like you needed saving, Miyamura- _hime_ ," Kaoru added.

It wasn't a complete lie. Hikaru and Kaoru had been off to the side with guests and were casually informing them of history behind the antique tableware they were using. That is, until the two had noticed Tamaki walk out onto the courtyard, sulking. They were going to run over and begin to torment the enthusiastic blond, but that was until they saw the couple casually conversing behind him. Hikaru was quick to ignore the couple, having no interest in teasing Kyoya and finding Akiko to be not at all entertaining. And Kaoru was going to follow suit.

That is, until they noticed the elated countenance of Akiko begin to change after Kyoya had said something. They knew that their shadow king could be tactless on occasion but for it to be with a client was highly unusual. Akiko, who once exuded confidence, wouldn't let her gaze meet Kyoya's any longer, and the way her quivering hands wrapped tightly around her skirt, despite the smile on her face, made her appear as if she were about to cry.

If it had been at any other moment in their lives before their involvement in the host club, the twins would have merely turned the other cheek. Even Hikaru, despite his disinterest, couldn't help but feel as if he had to do something. Perhaps it was because the host club had influenced him too much. Or perhaps it was because he saw the pitying look in his brother's eyes— a silent connection to a woman he had only just met two months prior. Whatever the reason, not long after Hikaru proposed an idea that would lead to them being able to entertain the guests and help Akiko. Kaoru seemed eager to agree and not long after they had put their plan into action…

Hikaru was brought back to reality by a lovely bubble of laughter. He furrowed his brow when Akiko attempted to cover her mouth to stifle it, her cheeks flared a bright pink that matched the cherry blossoms and a few tears escaped her eyes. "I'm sorry…" she struggled through her fit of giggles, wiping a few stray tears and cracking a crooked grin. "…It's just that you two are surprisingly calculating. Thank you."

The twins shared looks of curiosity before cracking their own sloppy smirks. "Well, of course. We like to think of ourselves as people who take an opportunity when we see one," Hikaru began.

"And besides…we could just tell that we would get along with you," Kaoru added.

At this, they were met with Akiko's flat stare, which indicated she was not at all convinced. "Really? I didn't get that feeling about you two at all. I knew you both were trouble."

"What?! Seriously?! That's not nice!" They said in unison. They began to sulk in silence until their eyes met with the young woman and all three of them broke out into a fit of chuckles.

Their laughter died down when they heard their clients calling them back to their station. "Oh, it's not good to keep the ladies waiting. We're going to head on back. Come join us, Miyamura-hime!" Hikaru called, running back to the group first in an attempt to calm their anxiousness.

"Um…I don't know about that. I'm not good at conversing with others. I've only ever spoken to books and cakes!" she protested. Akiko snapped her head to the side when an arm was offered to her.

She was met with the twin with gentle eyes. Kaoru, she believed was his name. He smiled brightly and Akiko couldn't tell if it was genuine or the same host smile as Kyoya. "You're not going to get better if you never try it, so come on! I'll be sure to show you a host club event that you'll never forget."

Akiko glanced at the arm offered to him skeptically. It was not that she doubted him, but she had only ever spent her time in the host club for the sole reason of making sure Miyuki didn't embarrass her or her family in front of Kyoya. She had never stayed for the entertainment of it. But something in her told her to reach out, to believe this man in front of her. And so without much argument, her own arm hooked into his. She returned his smile and replied in falsetto, "Oh, Hitachiin-san! You're so cool! Thank you for saving me, my knight in shining armor that actually looks like a dress!"

This earned a sharp laugh from Kaoru. "You know, you don't look like it, but you're surprisingly a handful."

"Believe me, I've been told that before."

* * *

"Wah! You're too close!"

"It can't be helped, Tamaki-senpai! It's too cramped in here! **Ow** — **stop flailing around!** "

Kaoru peered over the edge of the shed window directly opposing the couple inside and watched as his senpai waved his hands exuberantly to try and create space between him and his cross-dressing junior. He was grasping the window seal tightly, recalling how their faces were mere centimeters apart just moments before.

He released a dismal sigh and slumped his forehead against the window seal. _"What am I doing? Kaoru, you're such an idiot."_

He turned around with his back against the wall of the shed and clung his knees to his chest, with his demeanor sullen. He knew perfectly well what to expect if he had followed the couple as they began scurrying for a hiding spot, yet he didn't understand why he was so torn by it. It was a constant struggle for Kaoru, between his desire for Tamaki's happiness, his brother's happiness, and his own.

It had been exactly one day since the Heian event and the host club was currently being involved in a shady interview by the newspaper club and after many games, they decided to play hide and seek in order to create a distraction for Tamaki so the rest of the host club could confront of the newspaper club. Kaoru had gotten separated from Hikaru in all the commotion and decided to follow Tamaki because he thought it would be interesting to see his president flustered. However, by doing so he just made himself depressed after being reminded of his budding feelings for Haruhi.

Kaoru shielded his eyes from the violent rays of the afternoon sun with his forearm. "Come on, Kyoya-senpai. Hurry up and give the signal," Kaoru pleaded softly, trying to block out the sounds of their harsh whispers.

The pain in his chest was smothering. Was there a word to describe that feeling that you get when you're soaking in the bath tub, dunk your head underwater, and feel your stomach tighten up inside you as the sounds around you become non-existent ghosts of the past? Was there a word to describe that? Because that is how Kaoru felt in the moment.

He could faintly hear Honey off in the distance, calling out for Mori and Hikaru. Once the high pitched squeal of the small third year faded, he heard scuffling by his side, which was followed by the darkness of a shadow that blocked the heat of the sun. Too dejected to remove his arm from his eyes, he gave the new presence beside him no second thought and instead groveled in the coolness of the shadow.

"Hitachiin-san?"

Kaoru stiffened when hearing her melodious, silvery voice. His arm slid off his eyes slowly as he gawked at the woman looming above him and tilting her head, with large knowledgeable blue eyes examining him curiously.

Not receiving a response, she took it as a sign to continue, "What are you doing he—umff!"

She was silenced by a rough hand over her mouth as Kaoru quickly pulled her by her arm and towards the ground. She landed on her knees, right between his open legs, with her forehead bumping against his own. Instantly aware of the proximity, she stiffened uncomfortably and rubbed her forehead in pain.

"What is going—"

"Shhh—they're going to hear us!" Kaoru interjected, pressing his index finger against her soft lips and then pointed with his thumb over the edge of the window.

Nodding in understanding, Akiko crawled away from him and lifted herself above the window seal to get a better look at the couple inside, noticing the heated blush that exploded over both of their features.

She raised an amused brow. "Is there any reason I should be worried about Tamaki having such a reaction to his young _male_ companion?" she emphasized in a low whisper, enjoying the way Kaoru paled.

" _Oh, crap! She doesn't know that Haruhi is a girl!"_

He waved his hands nervously in front of her, trying to distract her from the scene. "Oh, it's nothing, Miyamura-senpai! It's not like that idiot king swings that way or anything! Please, don't read too much into it!" he yelled in a high whisper and was silenced by a thin finger to his lips.

Akiko chuckled pleasantly. "I'm only teasing you." She looked back into the shed. "Besides, I already know, and Kyoya is aware that I know, so it is safe to assume that I have already been properly threatened. There is no need to worry. It's quite an interesting development if you ask me."

"Y—You figured out that she was a girl?" Kaoru asked, astonished.

Akiko nodded. "Un. It was quite simple to figure out." She grinned, resting her head against the window seal as she gazed at Kaoru intently. "You, on the other hand, are a bit more difficult to decipher. Forgive me…I have a pretty good guess, but I am still uncertain…which one are you?"

Kaoru gave a small apologetic bow of his head. "I'm sorry about that. I'm Kaoru. Although…it probably won't matter once Hikaru and I are together…" he faintly whispered that last part, hoping she didn't catch it.

But she did.

"How bold of you to say," she quipped. "I don't want to disappoint you by promising that I will remember which one of you is which, but I will try my hardest. Besides…"—a ghostly smile spread across her features—"…I'm positive that I am already catching on—even if it's just a little."

Kaoru hesitated, afraid of finding out what she meant. "How can you be so sure?"

Akiko hummed, contemplating her next words and pointed her thin finger toward the window of the shed—specifically at the couple inside. "I could tell that you aren't okay with _that_ , as well as all the other interactions they have had within the two months. Your brother, on the other hand, seems a bit more docile about it—or perhaps he just hasn't realized the severity of the situation yet."

"It—It's not like that at all," Kaoru protested weakly.

He had mixed feelings when it came to the woman in front of him. He felt angry that she could read him so easily, intrigued, and also terrified. He had only known her for two months…and he had only ever conversed with her a handful of times. She still couldn't even tell them apart, so what right did she have to be able to see through someone she wasn't even sure was him? "I…just wanted to make sure that the two of them weren't lost in this rose maze."

This earned him a look of pity. "You know what you sound like?" Kaoru slunk back as her index finger pressed against his forehead. "You sound like someone trying to convince themselves of something they don't really believe in their heart."

At this, her gaze became one that was far off, as if remembering something in the distant past. He was rewarded with a gentle pat on his shoulder as she stood up and dusted herself off. "Believe me…" she began, her blue gaze clashing with his own amber. "…I know that tactic better than anyone."

And saying nothing more, she whirled around on her heel and walked away. And that was when Kaoru could see it. The beauty in the way she carried her broken self. It was the most wonderfully thought out façade he had ever witnessed, even more than the ones the twins played at. One glance at her and anyone would think that she is the most invincible woman in the world, wearing strength like an old worn jacket and walking on pain as if it was a new set of heels she was trying to break in. In reality, she was an absolute mess, but it was absolutely the most enthralling thing about her.

Kaoru envied her abilities in deception…because as he looked back into the shed, seeing Haruhi and Tamaki laughing amongst themselves as if they were the only two people in the world that mattered, Kaoru suddenly felt like wanting to cry again.

* * *

 **A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. We can finally move to having more strict KaoruxAkiko interactions, so you'll see other characters falling into the background more and more as they serve their purpose. Please review! I'd love to know what you think.**

 **GUEST RESPONSES:**

 **1.** HarvestMoonGurl: **Yes, actually! This is heavily influenced by Howl's Moving Castle, the Earth Sea Series, Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter. Since I am still practicing English, I often pay attention to the sentence structures from books I read and practice my English through practical application by keeping the sentence structure but exchanging the words with my own details. This is how I learn and practice the language.**


	4. The Weather Doll, Part 1

**STORY INFO:** This chapter is split in two to keep chapter lengths consistent and remain within the timeline of Vol 5. You will find that I will do this a lot. It is mainly because I don't like moving onto a new chapter until I can ensure that every chapter moves the story forward in some way. Yet at the same time, I like to keep my chapter lengths consistent. So this lets you know that I haven't reached the subplot for this chapter series yet.

 **-…-**

 **Between Freedom and Loyalty**

Chapter 4: The Weather Doll, Part 1

-…-

"I don't know why, but I just love watching all these couples roam the streets. It's so romantic!" said Miyuki with a dreamy sigh.

"Well, we all want what we can't have," Akiko playfully retorted, earning a low five from her brother walking beside her.

"Oh, ha ha. Very funny." Miyuki rolled her eyes, pulling the brim of her wide, blue pleated hat over her face in order to block her from the harsh sun. She let out a frustrated grunt when she noticed that her shoulders were becoming red from the lack of sunscreen that she forgot to apply. "The one thing I don't enjoy about this trip is all the walking around. Aren't we just wasting our energy strolling around like this? We have an entire vacation home to ourselves to spend time in. Why do you insist on wasting it on walking, Akiko-nee chan?"

"It's no more a waste of energy that your insistent whining, Onee-chan," Naoki added, intertwining his hand with Akiko's as he nearly tripped on the slope going downhill.

"Naoki is right. Stop complaining. And you know that we can't be spending time at the manor while dad is in the middle of a meeting. He told us to go out and explore the resort district…and to learn a sense of humility." She shot a pointed glare at her sister, who was currently pulling out a wet wipe to dust the dirt off her expensive shoes for the twentieth time since they left the manor fifteen minutes ago.

"Please, I'm the most humble person I know," Miyuki scoffed, tossing the wipe in a nearby trash can and not caring that it didn't make it in.

"In an alternative universe, maybe," Akiko chided.

It was only their third day of summer vacation and the children of the Miyamura household were not at all pleased. Miyuki had wished to spend her vacation in France, squandering her fortune on material matters that she didn't need. Meanwhile, having similar tastes when it came to vacations, Akiko and Naoki were quite eager to travel to the Kerry International Dark-Sky Reserve in Ireland, as their father had promised them in the beginning of spring.

Much to their disappointment, their father informed them all that they would be spending their vacation in Karuizawa for a business meeting that he had with the head of the Ootori family and a few other elites within the medical field. Apparently, the meeting was about a new health resort that they had planned to open, and the meeting was to take place in the Miyamura vacation manor, meaning that the children would not be allowed inside the house for the majority of the day. Thus, the children were whisked away from the comfort of their home and forced to walk the country side, not that Akiko particularly minded, for she was very fond of walking. And Naoki was very complacent, not at all quick to protest a request from his father. The only one they ever seemed to have trouble with was Miyuki, who would have much preferred to be inside rather than seeking an adventure…

Akiko glanced down when she felt a tug on her sleeve. She was met with bright, emerald eyes… _pleading_ emerald eyes. "Can we _please_ buy something cold so Miyuki-nee chan can shut up? At this rate, it's going to be her nagging that kills me instead of the heat!"

"Miyuki," Akiko called out, "would a nice, cold iced tea calm your nerves?"

"Oh, yes! That would be lovely."

Handing Naoki the money, he quickly ran off to buy some iced tea from a nearby vendor. Akiko had gotten distracted by the sound of her phone chiming in her handbag. Pulling out her phone, she read a text that was from Ootori Kyoya, which said: _My father requested that the children dine out together. I'll be picking you all up at eight o'clock. Make sure that Miyuki gets ready hours in advance._

She hummed when the phone chimed again. It read: _And be sure to wear something suitable. I will not be seen with a woman in sweats._

"It was a onetime thing. I can't believe he still holds it against me," Akiko protested to her phone. It was no surprise to her that Kyoya was also in Karuizawa. With his father nearby, she expected him to be. And the last time that the four of them had dined out together, Kyoya was absolutely livid to witness Akiko attending a fancy venue in sweat pants and a store bought tee. No matter how much she tried to explain to him that it was because she didn't have much time to change after Miyuki had spilled ice cream on her just before the event, Kyoya would not hear any of it. What irked him even more was that despite the horrified stares that she was receiving from everyone around her, she looked perfectly comfortable in such unfashionable clothing. That was just the way she was…

Tucking her phone in her handbag, Akiko debated on whether to tell Miyuki about the date. If she found out, Akiko would never hear the end of it. However, getting distracted by some intricately designed cakes in a nearby shop window, the thought slipped her mind…

"Onee-chan," she heard from her right, turning to find Naoki handing her a cold cup of tea. By the looks of it, he had purchased an extra just for her. "Where's Miyuki-nee chan?"

"Huh? She should be over—" She surveyed the area around her, spotting no sign of the large, atrocious blue hat. How odd. She was positive that she had been entranced by a nearby shopping outlet and was convinced that she wouldn't move from that spot for a good while. Thinking of no other reason for her sister's disappearance she said, "Well, it is hot enough to make someone sweat like crazy…and Miyuki can be a witch…so perhaps she melted because of her own sweat?"

"That's not nice, Onee-chan!" Naoki chuckled, intertwining his hand again with his sister's as they continued down the road in search of the aforementioned witch.

They walked down the paved path for a good ten minutes before they spotted their sister standing at the gate of a large, white pensione with a blue roof and two large columns outlining the porch. She seemed to have been all too distracted examining the white fence surrounding the pensione that was poorly fixed, with boards being nailed every which way. Seeing an opening to tease her sister, Akiko positioned herself behind the woman. " _Kakkun_!" she shouted, preforming a _Hiza Kakkun_ by bucking her knees forward and hitting the back of Miyuki's legs, causing her to nearly trip.

"What the—Onee-chan!" Miyuki yelled, using the fence to prevent her from falling completely forward. "How immature can you be?!"

"If you give me a moment…I could probably be a little more immature." Akiko grinned cheekily. "What are you doing out here anyway? We've been looking for you for nearly ten minutes."

"Well, I was overhearing that this pensione has a bunch of good looking men helping out around the place, and I'm not one to deny myself the pleasure of looking at a bunch of handsome men!" Miyuki laughed as if she were so proud of her self-discovery.

Akiko was about to protest until she heard a familiar voice from behind her. "Miyamura-senpai?" it asked. Curiously, she turned around to see none other than Fujioka Haruhi, dressed in a frilly apron and carrying a large cart of fruit.

Akiko instantly brightened upon seeing the young woman. Over the course of the last few months, they began to speak to each other more and more after Haruhi began attending the host club sooner and helping her set up the desserts for the guests. Haruhi's company was very stimulating and it was nice to get away from the idle chatter of business when conversing with the young woman. She was about to casually greet the woman until she remembered Miyuki behind her. Then, dread consumed her.

"Hey, isn't that— **Ah! Onee-chan! What the heck did you do to my dress?!** " Miyuki screamed at the top of her lungs when she felt the cold tea splash all over her light blue dress, staining it a nasty orange color.

"Sorry! My hand slipped!" Akiko lied, frantically trying to block Miyuki from seeing Haruhi. "I suggest you go back to the house and quickly find something to wear. Kyoya-kun did invite us to dinner, after all. And you can't go looking like that!"

At the news, Miyuki paled, horrified. "O—Ootori-senpai invited us to dine with him?! Why didn't you tell me this sooner?!" She slapped her hands against her cheeks, tears pouring down them comically. "Oh, dear! I need to go get changed. Naoki! Walk me home!"

"Eh?! But—" He was stopped by a stern hand on his shoulder. When he craned his head back, he saw his sister smiling demonically. "Naoki," she seethed. "Won't you be a proper gentleman and go help Miyuki get back to the house?"

Not understanding why his sister was so demanding—but also wanting to survive—Naoki conceded and led a crying Miyuki back to the manor. After watching their figures vanish over the hill-top, Akiko released a heavy, exasperated sigh. "Fujioka-chan, you need to be more mindful about your situation. Despite appearances, Miyuki is sharp…and I really don't want to give Kyoya-kun a reason to blackmail me."

Laughing sheepishly, Haruhi scratched the back of her head. "Sorry about that. But Miyamura-senpai, what brings you to Karuizawa? With your sister tagging along, I figured that you would be spending your vacation somewhere a little more… _luxurious._ "

Akiko pinched the bridge of her nose, already forming a headache after today's events. "I came for the ocean. I hear it helps your mental health," she said sarcastically.

"Ocean?" Haruhi laughed. "What ocean? We're in the outskirts of the Nagano Prefecture."

"Yes, well, it would appear that I was tricked…" she said, fanning herself with a flyer that she had picked up from one of the vendors and tossing out her empty cup in a nearby trashcan. "Anyway, what are you doing here? You are aware that our school forbids working, unless it is helping manage a company that you're meant to inherit?"

"Yeah, I'm aware of that, but my father is out on a business trip and didn't want to me to stay at home alone, so I agreed to help my dad's friend from work, Misuzu, around her pensione."

"And I assume that those handsome guys Miyuki has been hearing about were members of the host club?" Akiko asked, assisting Haruhi in carrying one of the boxes that was lying by the fence and taking it around the back of the pensione. At her words, Haruhi seemed to deflate.

"Ugh, don't remind me. I thought that I had finally managed to get a break from them, but then they decided to show up earlier today and had this contest to see who would stay in the extra room."

"Contest? Who won?" Akiko set down the box on a table on the patio.

"Those no-good twins," she said through clenched teeth, earning a sharp laughter from Akiko, who was not at all surprised that they may have used some dirty trick to win the contest.

"Why don't you have a seat, Miyamura-senpai? I'll go fetch you some tea." Before Akiko could protest, Haruhi had already retreated into the pensione and had left Akiko to her own thoughts. She had to admit that Karuizawa could be really peaceful when she wasn't around Miyuki and she would dare say that it curved her disappointment for not being able to go to Ireland for vacation.

As she was busy examining the way the clouds floated over the hill-top, she failed to notice a certain ebony haired companion pulling up a seat beside her. Knowing that he wouldn't be able to get her attention when she was lost in her own thoughts, Kyoya resorted to pulling out his book and began reading in silence. And there they remained for about ten minutes until Akiko heard Kyoya sip from the cup of tea that he had brought with him. "Oh, hello, Kyoya-kun," she said with a warm smile.

Intrigued by her calmness, Kyoya responded, "How disappointing; you don't sound surprised at all."

She chuckled. "Yes, well, it is no surprise anymore that wherever Fujioka is, you are sure to follow."

Kyoya paused mid-sip, a frown evident on his features. "What are you trying to imply?"

"Simply that you follow Suoh-san everywhere…and he has to have Fujioka-chan within his reach at all times…"—a rancorous smirk spread across her features as she gazed knowingly at Kyoya—"…What did you _think_ I was implying, hmm?" Her eyes were attracted elsewhere for a moment and as Kyoya followed her gaze to a certain cross-dressing host being distracted by a needy, cute senpai, his scowl only deepened.

"That's an interesting notion, Akiko-chan. I'd be careful with that imagination of yours; it might get you into a nasty situation one day," said Kyoya rather irately. He didn't take to well to others reading him. He did, after all, like to think that he was composed enough when it came to Haruhi.

Akiko rested her chin in the palm of her hand, tracing the glass design on the table with her free hand. Entranced by the texture, she smiled pleasantly, but it was tight, as if she were in pain. "I had hoped for a while that it was part of my imagination…but I think I've watched you enough to know that look in your eyes. In fact, I admire you for it. You're so kind, Kyoya-kun."

He raised a critical brow, taking another sip of his tea. "How so?"

"Because you think so much about Suoh-san's happiness, even more than yourself."

"Don't be ridiculous," he said simply. "I'm merely pandering to him because I have something to gain—something more valuable than trivial love. Tamaki has been aware of our arrangement from the beginning."

At his comment, Akiko laughed in way that showed she was not at all convinced. "I know you'd like to think you are doing it for mere business, but I also know you well enough to know that if you wanted something—even something as _trivial_ as love—you'd go for it…I know that about you from personal experience…" she said with a frown, referring back to the time Kyoya had rejected her confession in middle school. _You didn't want me_ , is essentially what she was implying—and Kyoya knew it.

Not liking where this conversation was going—and inwardly cursing himself for being a coward—he firmly placed the cup of tea on the saucer, causing a loud _clank!_ which tore the woman from her reverie. " _Miyamura-san_ ," he addressed her sternly, as he always did when he needed to remind her that their relationship was purely business. He didn't even have to say anything else. He knew he didn't—Akiko and he could often communicate in a thousand silent ways. Besides, the way he looked at her, warningly, was enough for her to get the message.

She chuckled somberly, raising her hand in surrender. "Oh, I know. Don't worry about it. I understand our arrangement perfectly, and I have no intention of disrupting that. In fact, I've long since given up on the matter. I'd actually like to thank you for rejecting me back then."

"Why is that?"

She leaned back on the chair, craning her head back and reveling in the way the sun kissed her skin. "Because it taught me something…" she said after a moment, "…It taught me that I'm worth something. I know you'd like me to think that you rejected me because you'd have nothing to gain from my inheritance, which may be true, but it's not the only reason is it?"

Before Kyoya could retort, Haruhi interrupted the two with Akiko's cup of tea and an extra glass of water, apologizing that she had taken so long because Honey had misplaced his shoes. It seemed that she was not really reading the tense atmosphere between the couple she had disrupted. Wanting to get away from the stifling feeling, Kyoya politely excused himself and retreated back into the pensione where he could take out his annoyance on his blond companion.

Akiko's words didn't sit well with him…partly because what she had said was true. Kyoya did not just deny her feelings because of her lack of inheritance, but for her well-being as well. Having been practically the only companion he had until he became acquainted with Tamaki, Kyoya had come to care for the woman, as much as he was capable of caring for _anyone_. It was not at all romantic, but it was something. And that was enough for Kyoya to carefully think about the situation before he had rejected her.

No matter how many different scenarios he played over in his head, he knew it just wouldn't work. And he knew that she knew it too. The concept of love in a marriage was just something that didn't work in their world, not if Kyoya wanted to become the successor of his father's company…and not if Akiko wanted to be free of the demands of the eldest daughter.

And so…they both would go about their lives as if the confession never happened. And they would both pretend that there was never the chance of _something_ occurring in each of their hearts. They would both continue to ignore the fact that this awkward business talk was nothing compared to the conversations they'd have sitting on summer grass in front of the Ootori manor, while their fathers were meeting, talking about their transgressions, their aspirations, or just simply enjoyable, sarcastic banter. And eventually, the distance would become something that they would both be okay with. Because Kyoya knew that his goal, trying to surpass his brothers, would destroy her if he pursued her. Because he would spend far too much of his time trying to make his own life to give any of it to her.

So this—this distance—was for the best.

* * *

"Whoa!" Kaoru shouted, narrowly missing the shadow king that barged through the patio French doors looking quite eager to escape, well, whatever it was that he was walking away from. Juggling the dust pan in his grasp, Kaoru let out a sigh of relief when he caught it. "What the heck is wrong with Ootori-senpai?" he mumbled to himself, taking a look at where the vice president had come from.

To his surprise, he saw Miyamura Akiko sitting by one of the patio tables, looking rather refreshing in her flower designed summer dress and a white bow tied daintily just above her right ear. Her cheeks were flushed from the heat, which made those royal orbs of hers stand out even more than usual and contrasted the pink matte lipstick she sparsely wore. She had formed a deep crease where her brows furrowed together, obviously becoming flustered at something Haruhi had said as the two conversed. Kaoru, realizing that he had been staring, shook his head and resumed his task of cleaning up the shattered glass from the window that had broken earlier on the deck nearby.

Bending over to pick up glass in the dust pan, Kaoru winced. A trickle of blood dripped down from his finger and onto the still messy deck. "You're just making a mess," he heard from above him, craning his head back to see Haruhi looming over him with her hands on her hips.

"It's not like I'm used to this," he reasoned. "I've never cleaned up after myself in my life. Son of a famous designer, remember?"

Haruhi just huffed, taking the broom from his grasp and cleaned up after him. She couldn't exactly retort because she knew that he was right. He had probably never even held a broom before in his life…and she did appreciate the gesture. "Why don't you just go and keep Miyamura-senpai company while I finish doing the chores? You should take it easy anyway. The contest is already over and you are hurt, even if it is just on the cheek." It was obvious she was trying to reprimand him…and was failing horribly. Still, the fact that she was worried for his well-being delighted Kaoru.

She was so good to him. And sometimes…he really wished that she wasn't. Sometimes he wished that she was just like everyone else in Ouran, those apart from the Host Club, so concerned with outward appearances and not caring about anything other than fortune. Then, maybe he could have felt a bit of hatred…and maybe forgetting the idea of loving her wouldn't be so hard…

Kaoru's mouth had parted, as if he wanted to speak, wanted to pour out his feelings right then, but his throat had gone dry. Clutching his hand to his chest, he stood up and made his way toward Akiko without another word. His mind was a mess, and he wasn't even sure what he was doing in the moment, but all he knew is that he silently pulled out a seat next to the woman and hung his head low, with his bangs covering his eyes, and began sipping from the extra glass of water present on the table.

He heard her hum as she became aware of his presence. "Hitachiin-san?" she asked softly, but he could not hear her, for he was too caught up in the plague within his mind. Akiko seemed to realize this because she said nothing more, allowing them to both sit in a quaint silence. The only sounds around them were the idle chatter of the guests indoors and the faint sound of Tamaki still playing on the piano.

He was so caught up in admiring the way Haruhi moved as she cleaned the deck a little ways off from him to notice Akiko staring in his peripheral vision, trying to figure out exactly which twin this was before her. "Hitachiin-san?" she called again, noticing the tightness in his features as he gazed upon Haruhi.

It was then that Akiko knew. Of course, she wasn't certain if she was right, but she felt that she knew that look better than anyone—loneliness. And it boggled her mind how a twin, someone destined to live out eternity with another person who practically shares the same soul, could ever feel lonely. But here he was, hurt and shattered in ways that rivaled the cut on his cheek—too small for anyone to really take notice. With her fingers twitching, she reached out to stroke the cut almost instinctively and whispered, "Kaoru."

It was only then that he broke out of his prisoned mind and snapped his head to the side. He seemed to be in a daze, not really processing the severity of the word she had just spoken. In fact, it appeared as if he hadn't really noticed at all when he said, "Oh, Miyamura-senpai. I'm sorry. I was…just thinking about how I could make Milord's stay here very miserable," he lied.

Akiko blinked a few times, surprised. He really hadn't noticed. And for a moment, she wondered if she had been wrong in her guess. But she couldn't have been. When Haruhi was explaining how they won the contest, she was pretty sure she said that it was Kaoru who had gotten hurt. She decided that she wouldn't press the matter and chuckled, poking his cut and making him wince. "Fujioka was right. You boys are trouble. She told me all about your little plan to win the contest when that window fell. Hikaru-kun did some pretty good acting, from what Fujioka was telling me."

Kaoru plopped his chin in the palm of his hand, playfully retorting, "So she already clarified which one of us is which? Darn. I was hoping to play a trick on you, Miyamura-senpai."

"Please don't do that. It'd be better for both of you to introduce yourselves every time you appear in front of me. That would help a lot."

He dipped his fingers in the glass of water in order to clean off the cut on his finger. "And how would I do that?"

She tapped her chin. "Hm. Let's see…Well, you could start by saying, 'Hello. I'm Kaoru. My hobbies include confusing and terrorizing people with my twin brother, but I haven't exactly figured out a way to make a living with that yet, so here I am at the elite private school of Ouran Academy."

A rumble of laughter vibrated in his chest. "Isn't that a bit much?"

"You're right. That's much too long for someone with your amount of vocabulary," she jested, shielding herself from the water he flicked her way after he dipped his fingers in the glass. "I'm joking. Now, sit still so that I can sketch you."

As she pulled out a tiny sketch pad from her bag, Kaoru raised his hands in protest. "I'm sorry, Miyamura-senpai, but I'd rather not."

"Oh, come on. It's just a quick sketch. I'm rather bored and you have nothing else to do, so humor me. I promise my sketching won't steal your soul," she persisted.

"Are you sure about that? Your sketches can look rather demonic." Kaoru grunted as she jabbed his shoulder and shot him a pointed glare. "Sorry, sorry. Please continue."

As the atmosphere around the two of them calmed, Kaoru became entranced by the way she glided her pencil over the sheet of paper. He began to notice the small habits that she had while sketching, like the furrow of her brow whenever she made a mistake, the crinkle of her small nose whenever she wasn't pleased at how the line art turned out, or the way she'd mumble to herself. If he could describe her in a few words, they would probably be: a delicate existence. Everything about her was so subtle that Kaoru felt compelled to watch closely, for fear he'd miss something absolutely enchanting.

He wondered how long he had been staring, but from the way the sun now hanged low in the sky, becoming lost within patches of dark clouds, he assumed that he had been gazing upon her for at least an hour. She didn't seem to mind either, and she would every so often catch his gaze and hold it just as tightly as she would her pencil—gently, yet firm…with no intention of letting it wander.

It was this gaze that unsettled him and rattled his insides like beads in a jar. It was suspecting, suspicious, and all-knowing…as if it could see past his façade of host and into his very soul. It vexed him so much that he needed to look away. It was then that he was reminded of where his heart belonged as he glanced upon the woman whistling in the distance as she hung up the sheets in the backyard. Nothing—not even eyes that matched the water of a coming storm—could deter him.

His heart wrenched as he saw Tamaki come out onto the patio exchanging a few words with the woman, who secretly looked at him endearingly, so much so that it was evident all over his face. Akiko took notice and with her mouth receding into a tight line, she stated softly, "If my presence is that much of a hindrance, I could always leave."

Kaoru perked up, waving his hands in front of him. "O-Oh, no, not at all, Miyamura-senpai. I was just…"

"…admiring the scenery?" The corner of her lip quirked, knowingly.

Kaoru had no response, but decided that he would no longer protest. She was far too cunning. And he was far too tired. Instead, he didn't see the harm of indulging her for a bit. "Nee, Miyamura-senpai?"

"Hm?"

"I'm sorry for prying, but I really need to ask: When did you realize that you could finally move on?" _From Kyoya-senpai,_ he implied.

Akiko seemed hardly surprised at his question. After all, why should she be? It was no secret that she had confessed her feelings for him on their last day in Ouran Middle. In fact, when the newspaper club got wind of it, it had been spread over the school in a matter of minutes. She probably would have been the source of ridicule for a long while if it hadn't been for Kyoya putting a stop to the rumor as soon as it started. Even then, she did little to hide her feelings. Although, she had long since given up on entertaining the idea of ever being with him…

Tapping the pencil against her lips, Akiko considered his question for a long while before answering, "The sky."

Kaoru's brow cinched together. "The sky?"

Sighing, she rested the sketch pad on her lap and pointed up at the sky. "Yup—the sky. It might be a little ridiculous, but I think that when you meet someone, the color of your world changes, especially the sky. The moment I realized that I could move on was when the sky turned back into the same hue as it had been before I confessed to Kyoya-kun."

Kaoru couldn't help but crack a tender smile. "That's awfully poetic."

"Yes. Well, I tend to like a little drama in my life. It spices it up a little bit." She chuckled, resuming her sketch.

Looking back at the pensione, Kaoru felt compelled to ask, "And what color was your world after you had confessed to Kyoya-senpai?"

"I didn't think you'd actually entertain the idea. But if you must know, it was awfully gray. It was as if every day it was going to rain," she said in a near whisper before laughing to herself. "Of course. It could have just been because it _was_ the rainy season. But…I have to admit that there were times I would sit for hours making little _teru teru bōzu_ hoping it would brighten up my day."

Her laughter seemed to fade into sadness and for some reason, Kaoru could just imagine her, fresh out of heart break on a rainy day, sitting by the window, and crafting little monks out of tissues that resembled ghosts in a vain attempt to cast away bad weather. It made his own heart break seem very bleak in comparison.

In an attempt to get both of their minds away from the negativity, Kaoru reached over to grab her sketch pad. "Enough of all this. Let's see what demonic picture you've managed to conjure up of me," he said, ignoring her short, "Any picture of you would be demonic…because you're a demon."

She resisted against his pull, not wanting him to get the sketch pad. "Wait. Don't look at it!" she protested once it was in his grasp and tried to shield the drawing in front of him.

Kaoru turned to stone. After a long while he held up the photo in front of her interrogatingly. "Is…is this a drawing of a _goat?_ Do you think I look like a goat?" he asked incredulously.

Pulling the sketch pad out of his grasp roughly, Akiko stuck her nose in the air with pride. "As a matter of fact, it is a _sheep_." Kaoru shrunk back as she pointed her finger at him. "And no, I don't think you look like a goat, and I honestly _did_ start off drawing you, but you were staring at me so intently that I started thinking of something else to distract myself…and…sort of… drew a sheep."

"Then what exactly have I been doing here for an hour and a half while you have been drawing a sheep?" he asked, trying to stifle a laugh.

A deep blush washed over every surface area on her face, marking her embarrassment. Her voice was low as she squeaked, "Distracting me from my loneliness as I draw my pathetic little sheep?"

Unable to hold back anymore, Kaoru tossed his head back and laughed heartily, clutching his stomach. With the way he laughed, on the verge of tears, it was as if every cell in Akiko's body couldn't help but laugh with him and she soon joined in. Their laughter bubbled down slowly, each of them wiping a tear from their eyes. Their joy was interrupted by the tone of Akiko's phone.

Surprised, she rummaged through her bag and pulled out her phone only to see that Kyoya had messaged her again. _Remember: eight o'clock this evening to be ready,_ it read. It would appear that she had forgotten to reply to his previous text and due to their uncomfortable encounter, it was no wonder that he forgot to bring it up again.

Akiko's expression must have changed because shortly after Kaoru asked, "Is something wrong, Miyamura-senpai?"

Akiko ignored his question and looked up at the sky, as if to confirm something. She noted the gray rain clouds patching throughout the sky, but took comfort in the fact that it was still a bright, hopeful blue.

Tucking the phone in her bag, she turned to acknowledge the twin before her and asked excitedly, "Hey, Hitachiin-san? How would you like to go on a little outing tonight with me at eight o'clock?"

Kaoru blinked, clearly surprised by her proposal. He'd never been asked out to go somewhere without Hikaru, and he certainly never had been asked by a girl. Despite his uncertainty, curiosity got the best of him. "And do what, exactly? There isn't much to do in Karuizawa that I haven't already done."

She was absolutely beaming. "I'm sure I can think of a few things. How about it? I'll promise to show you a vacation you'll never forget."

Remembering that he had said the same words to her once, Kaoru quirked a smirk. Side glancing at Haruhi, who was now reprimanding Tamaki, he found his resolution. Returning her heartfelt smile, he nodded.

"I'd love to."

And somehow, in that moment, with the way he smiled…

…Akiko started feel as if she was in big trouble.

* * *

 **A/N: I'm sorry this is almost six (or is it seven?) weeks late! Do you know how long I have been dying to work on this?! Weekly (sometimes bi-weekly) updates will resume starting now, so I'm sorry for the delay. School and life, you know?**

 **Also…I've noticed that a lot of you actually ship Akiko with Kyoya. I'm sorry to sink your ship with this chapter, but this is a KaoruxOC. As mentioned previously in the chapter, Kyoya doesn't look at Akiko romantically. HOWEVER, he also doesn't dismiss the fact that something CLOSE to romance could POSSIBLY develop if he gave it anymore thought…which he won't. I know this relationship dynamic is not satisfactory...because readers are suckers for romance rivals, but I just didn't want that to happen in this fic. The whole love rival thing is actually very unappealing to me these days. Don't worry, though! Kyoya does play a huge role in the story.**

 **Please review, follow, or favorite…especially review. Please? Even if it is just getting mad at me for taking so long to update.**

 **As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, review or PM me.**


	5. The Weather Doll, Part 2

**STORY INFO:** Just FYI for those of you that didn't know: a _teru teru bozu_ is essentially a weather doll used to fend off bad weather, usually hung by a window. I thought this was sort of self-explanatory but seeing as I received PMs on it, I suppose that it was not. It's clarified in this chapter. Also, this takes place…two days (?) before Hikaru's date with Haruhi, on the same day that the last chapter left off on.

 **-…-**

 **Between Freedom and Loyalty**

Chapter 5: The Weather Doll, Part 2

-…-

Thin lips dropped into a deep scowl as he glanced at his bright cellular screen.

 _8:25 PM_ , it read. Already a quarter past eight and the woman was nowhere to be seen. Kyoya tried his best to contain his annoyance, as to not create a scene in the restaurant and disrupt others around him.

'Tried' being the operative term.

 _Clank!_

He stabbed at the meal on his plate with a devoid expression, still holding his regal countenance. He had to admit that he was not entirely angry at Akiko. In fact, the core of his annoyance was at himself for the manner in which he had spoken to her earlier that afternoon. He had a small inkling that she would not show up to the dinner if she was upset with him, so it was really no surprise that she had chosen to be absent. Nonetheless, this was the first time that Akiko had declined a request from him, knowing that if she did, she would no doubt be scolded by her mother for putting the Miyamura image in jeopardy.

And perhaps there was another reason for his foul mood—Kyoya glanced across the table at the woman gleefully yammering about the events that unfolded earlier that day. As he tilted his head at the blonde, pretending to be interested, he began to wonder just how long she had been talking. And for a while, he thought that he might just perish from the lack of oxygen in the room from the amount Miyuki was taking up just to tell her story. "—and that's how I ended up with this lovely, new dress!" Miyuki ended with a sophisticated flick of her wrist, relaying the story of how Akiko had dumped tea on her.

"Fascinating," he said dryly, patting his lips with a napkin.

"Can't you ever talk about anyone other than yourself?" Naoki mumbled between bites of his steak, grunting when his sister smacked him across the back of the head.

"Oh, I can. I just choose not to." She stuck her nose in the air stubbornly, about to open her mouth to tell another story until she saw Kyoya look at her warningly. Sucking in her breath, she resumed eating her meal in silence, much to the surprise of everyone around them.

Although, Kyoya knew it wouldn't last long—ten seconds, at most. So, in order to entertain himself, he began counting in his head.

One.

Two.

Three.

Miyuki's gaze met his shyly, catching him staring and causing a deep blush to flare across her cheeks. She began to chew her food faster, in a slight panic.

Four.

Five.

She refused to look up, lifting her utensils to pick up a piece of meat only to have it plop onto the napkin placed on her lap.

Six.

Seven.

Eight.

After clearing her plate, something caught her eye that caused her to scowl. Kyoya could almost taste the victory. And he started to wonder why he hadn't thought about this pastime before.

Nine.

She scrunched up her nose in disgust, lifting up the plate.

Ten.

"I don't understand why they'd use this type of tableware. The pattern is absolutely horrendous!" Miyuki whined.

"What?" Naoki's attention was drawn away from the food and toward the china in his sister's hand. He smirked mischievously. "That's not the pattern, Onee-chan. That's just a reflection of your ugly face."

Kyoya nearly gagged on the tea he had been taking a sip from, lifting his hand to his mouth in an attempt to recover himself. "Forgive me. The tea went down wrong." Coughing into his fist, he regained his superior composer. "Do you know if your sister will be joining us after all?"

Miyuki's frown only seemed to deepen at his question. Within the last twenty-five minutes, Kyoya had mentioned Akiko at least six times, curious about her whereabouts. It was strange. Miyuki was fully aware of Akiko's feelings toward Kyoya, but she had been confident in the fact that he felt no such affection toward her. He did reject her, after all. Yet, even after the confession back in middle school, their relationship had hardly changed. He still treated Akiko differently than he treated her. Miyuki knew that with her sister, Kyoya was comfortable enough to be himself—however, horrible that may be. He saw her as an equal, a companion even. Meanwhile, Kyoya only saw Miyuki as a way to further his father's company. For a long while, she had been fine with that type of relationship. Hell, she even thought that she could use it to her advantage and find a way to get close to him, but Kyoya just refused to let her in.

No matter how much he denied it, Akiko was special, whether it is romantic or not. Miyuki began to wonder how two people with such a compatibility with each other could maintain such a frail balance…

As if aware that they had been talking about the woman, Miyuki's phone rang loudly. Gasping, she swiftly answered it. "Where are you?!" she whispered heatedly into the microphone. "You were supposed to be here over 25 minutes ago!"

There was a small pause.

 **"What do you mean you're not coming?!"** Miyuki shrieked, earning the attention of everyone around them in the restaurant. She laughed sheepishly and cupped her hand against the bottom of the phone, whispering to Kyoya, "She said that she is having an outing with a friend, so she will not be joining us."

Naoki choked on his steak, slamming a hand against his chest. He gawked. "Wait. Wait. Onee-chan made a friend that exists _outside_ of her head? You're sure?"

Ignoring her sibling, Miyuki seethed. She had an ugly feeling festering within her and decided to take it out on her sister. "Father is going to hear about this, you know?" she whispered threateningly. "And I'm not going to cover for—" she paused, gaping at her phone.

"…Onee-chan?" Naoki asked timidly, noticing that she was clutching her phone with such strength that he was sure it would shatter in her grasp.

" **Did she just hang up on me?!** "

* * *

"What do you mean ' _a date_?!"

Hikaru gasped, flabbergasted as his twin scurried past him into the restroom of their contest prize room to make sure he was dressed appropriately. He looked down at his wrist watch and mentally cursed, noting that he was already running almost forty minutes late. Due to being exhausted from spending an entire afternoon with Tamaki, who was quite angry that the twins had won the contest, Kaoru had taken a nap for the evening and woke up late. To make matters worse, he had even forgotten to share the whole situation with Hikaru until two minutes prior…

"A date, Hikaru. You know? The thing that two people—who moderately like each other—do in order to get to know each other and have a bit of fun?" Kaoru sighed, rummaging through his bag for a decent pair of shoes.

"But…with _Miyamura-senpai_?!" Hikaru countered.

"What's so surprising? Do you want to take her place? Because I honestly think you'd look great in a dress." Kaoru sniggered as his brother retorted weakly with a high pitched, "As if!"

Calming down, Hikaru plopped on the nearby bed, bouncing a little as he did so. "I'm just surprised…I mean, I didn't think you _actually_ liked her."

"I do." Kaoru responded with a seriousness that shocked his twin into silence. "But not in the way that you're implying. She's just…interesting." After a pregnant pause, he hesitantly asked, "…Are you alright with this?" _Me going out without you,_ he implied.

Hikaru mulled over his question for a bit, before sighing. "Honestly, I don't know how to feel about it. We've only known her for a few months and she can't even tell us apart. For you to go out of your way for her like this—well, it's kind of unnerving…and a little _annoying_."

And that was the truth. Before the host club, it had been customary for them to shut others out—those apart from them. They didn't ever want to open up to someone because they didn't need their half-assed friendship or sympathy...until they met Tamaki and the others, who taught them that there are others in their world that are capable of being genuine, being real. Perhaps, Kaoru felt that Akiko was another exception.

Hikaru may be oblivious to his brother's thoughts, but he wasn't blind. Ever since their scheme against the Newspaper Club, Hikaru would often catch his twin glancing her way whenever she made her deliveries to the Host Club. With the way his eyes followed her every move, Hikaru was almost certain that even if the entire world stopped moving, Kaoru would keep spinning in place, even if just to get a better look at her.

He wasn't sure about Kaoru's feelings toward that senpai of theirs, but he was certain of one thing—No matter what happened, no matter what his brother was feeling, he would always be there for his twin…

Seeing his brother fidgeting around, distraught, Hikaru gazed upon him fondly and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Hey…uh…you want me to walk you there?" he asked, scratching the back of his head. "You just look like you're getting cold feet all of a sudden."

A breath of relief escaped his twin's lips and he said nervously, "That'd be nice. Thanks."

"Whelp, come on, Romeo." Hikaru patted his back and headed downstairs before him, allowing Kaoru to regain his composure. He wasn't nervous about spending time with Akiko; they were just acquaintances. He held no such feelings for anyone aside from Haruhi, and he knew that Akiko felt the same about Kyoya. However, he was nervous about what this meant regarding his relationship with his brother. It was a step forward, a step out of their tiny circle…and it was absolutely terrifying…

Kaoru quirked a brow when something on the nightstand caught his attention—a small pack of tissues. He then began to hear the faint pitter-patter of raindrops hitting the window and noticed that it was drizzling. How peculiar. They weren't supposed to get rain until two days from now. He wondered if Akiko had gone back to her vacation manor and decided he would call her to check. But when he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, he then remembered that they never exchanged numbers. How was he supposed to get in touch with her now?

He inwardly face palmed. "Seriously, Kaoru," he reprimanded himself until he remembered something. "Oh, right! Kyoya-senpai said that he would come back to the pensione after his outing with Akiko-senpai's siblings. I can always ask him if he saw her when he escorted them back home."

As if on cue, Kaoru heard the spectacled senpai enter into the pensione after a noisy declaration from the idiot-king. In a rush, he grabbed the packet of tissues and rummaged through the drawers, finding a black marker before stuffing them both in the pockets of his jeans and heading downstairs to where the others were waiting.

As he descended the steps, the small smile that he held was wiped off his face upon witnessing Tamaki sitting exceptionally close to Haruhi on the seats in front of the piano. He was rambling on about playing a song to help her focus on something other than the rain, which she seemed especially worried about, and no one else knew why.

Shaking the thoughts of jealousy from his mind, Kaoru told Hikaru to wait and approached Kyoya, who was removing his damp jacket and hanging it by the door. "Um, Kyoya-senpai."

"Hm? Do you need something?"

Kaoru shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "You just came back from the Miyamura manor, didn't you?"

Kyoya crossed his arms over his chest expectantly. "That is correct? Why?"

"Did you by any chance spot Miyamura-senpai there?"

Kyoya leaned back against the wall, intrigued. Why would Kaoru—or at least who he assumed to be—want to know a thing like that? The two of them had only ever conversed a handful of times and only ever stole glances at each other. Somewhere, some place deep inside, Kyoya was not okay with what was conspiring between the two. But he would never voice it…because it was useless to think of something that would never benefit him. In fact, he inwardly cursed himself for even hesitating to answer the twin's question because he was trying to shed Akiko off his being—slowly, uncomfortably, like snake skin, trying to let go of every exquisite detail about her that continued to hinder his pursuit of his goal. Frowning, he finally answered, "No. I'm afraid I didn't see her at the manor. Apparently, we were supposed to meet for dinner, but she had urgent business elsewhere with a companion at the same time. Why do you ask?"

Kaoru's heart plummeted to the ground as his eyes widened a fraction. Snapping his head to the side, he saw that the rain was now coming down harder and was no longer a light drizzle. It hit him like a ton of bricks: _He was now fifty minutes late to their meeting, and she had not returned home_. "You've got to be kidding me?!" were the last words that Kyoya heard before Kaoru bolted out of the front door, with Hikaru shouting after him.

"Kaoru?! Kaoru, hold up!" Hikaru ran to the front gate, stopping when he lost sight of his brother in the heavy, thunder-less downpour of the rain.

Everyone had stood up from their seats, sharing equal looks of confusion. "What was that all about?" Tamaki asked.

Looking out into the rain, Kyoya got a feeling that he should be very concerned.

"…I have no clue."

* * *

"Here—" Kaoru flinched when he was tossed a relatively warm, green towel from the front of the taxi cab "—Use that to dry yourself off. It's new. I bought it a while ago because I couldn't find my jacket in time for my shift. You definitely look like you could use it, lad."

Reveling in the plush cotton of the towel, Kaoru mumbled a brief thank you to the cab driver, vainly attempting to dry himself off. When he looked back up into the rearview mirror, he saw the middle-aged driver staring at him expectantly, as if he was waiting for some other response. "Sorry. Did you say something?" Kaoru asked, leaning forward against the seat to hear the driver over the harsh rain.

"I asked, what brings you out here at this hour?" he repeated.

"A date."

The driver perked up at this, making it a little too obvious that he craved for conversation. "A date, huh? Had to escape from her fast, I bet!" He guffawed at his own remark.

Kaoru waved his hands in front of him to object. "No, not at all! I'm actually on my way there now."

"Oh? Must be an awfully amazing woman then. I mean, for you to run out in the rain like before. The shopping district is an hour on foot, you know? If I hadn't driven by, you'd still be running out there like a madman."

Leaning back into the seat, Kaoru hung his head. "…Well, I wasn't thinking straight. I'm running late already."

He jolted when the driver braked for a moment, as if in shock by his words. "Running late to a date?! Boy, if getting sick from the rain doesn't kill you, then she certainly will."

"…" After hearing this, Kaoru grimaced and wrapped himself tighter in the towel that he had been given. He inwardly hoped that what the driver had said wasn't true.

* * *

"—Okay, then. Just don't scare me like that again, you hear?!"

Kaoru smiled contently against the phone, paying for his fare and stepping out of the vehicle after bidding the driver a good evening and running to the nearest shelter. "Yeah, yeah. I already said I was sorry, Hikaru. I'll call another cab as soon as I see that the rain gets worse. Don't worry!"

"You better! And just call a separate cab for her if it gets too bad. It's not _your_ problem." Kaoru tried to stifle a laugh as he heard Tamaki in the background yell, "Hikaru! That is no way for a man to treat a woman! I expect more from a host!" followed by Hikaru's, "Sure, idiot-king."

"Milord is right; I can't do that to Miyamura-senpai. I'll escort her home and call you when I'm on the way back. Again, don't worry," Kaoru emphasized, almost as if reminding himself. His brother stubbornly conceded, and they then said their goodbyes, hanging up the phone and placing it in his back pocket for safe keeping.

Using the towel as a makeshift shield from the rain, Kaoru surveyed his surroundings through narrow eyes. Much to his dismay, most of the shops were closed due to the weather and how late in the evening it was. It caused the guilt within him to swell. He could clearly see from the distance, across the rain cluttered street, that the restaurant they were supposed to meet at had long since closed its doors. Since he knew that Akiko had not returned home yet for the evening, Kaoru quickly assumed the worst.

 _Splish! Splash!_

Kaoru clamored down the sidewalk, momentarily pausing as he jumped over a deep puddle that was blocking his path. Nothing else could be heard other than his own heavy footfalls and scattered breathing as he weaved his way through the dense rain. Once he passed a shop titled _Arai Grocery_ , he saw a small game café that was still running even in the harsh weather, its brightly lit interior a welcoming sight for the drenched young man.

Interestingly enough, he spotted Akiko sitting on a couch in such a fashion that resembled a bird on a perch, dawned with a set of bulky headphones and a game controller. She was pressing the buttons in a violent manner, mumbling obscenities to herself and only stopping occasionally to rub her dry eyes.

Kaoru couldn't help but shake his head. He had half a mind to conclude that Akiko had never played video games before and judging by the young boys—who were also taking shelter from the rain with their parents—wincing beside her every time her character was struck down, he assumed that it was their idea to get her to try out the video game in the first place.

Deciding to have a little fun with his senpai, he carefully approached the woman from behind, pulling back one side of her headphones and whispering subtly in her ear, "I'm pretty sure you're supposed to blink when playing video games."

" **Ah!** " Akiko screamed bloody murder and scrambled to the far edge of the couch, nearly knocking over the game console. "Hitachiin-san! I've told you before not to do that!"

Narrowly missing a jab to his shoulder, he tried not to laugh at the petrified woman before him. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I won't do it again."

The second time, he wasn't so lucky dodging her jab. "Oh, yes, you will! That smirk on your face says differently!"

Kaoru cupped his cheeks, trying to pull his smile into a frown and failing miserably. "All the more reason why this little debate is pointless," he retorted. "I'm sorry that I'm so late, Miyamura-senpai"—He bowed earnestly—"I suppose that I'm not the easiest person to arrange an event with."

"Who ever said I wanted easy?" She beamed, surprising him. "Actually, I have one question." She glossed over his drenched form. "Make that two questions."

"Just two?"

He bent over to pick up the fallen controller that had effectively broken from the force it was thrown across the room. Akiko pointed at it and amended, "Three questions." She could hear the children beside them commenting on the wet floor and noted that Kaoru had nothing but a towel over his clothing. "Okay. Make that four questions?" But upon seeing his that he still looked radiant, despite being completely soaked, she decided, "Three and a half questions…and perhaps several concerns."

Kaoru snorted, prepared to sit down on the couch but after receiving a harsh glare from the clerk, he decided to seat himself on the damp entryway near a floor-length window. After placing his only slightly damp towel on the wet ground beside him, he patted it for Akiko to take a seat without ruining her own clothing. "Well, let's hear them then," he invited, squeezing some of the water out of his hair.

Folding her dress under her legs, Akiko used to her fingers to count off. "First question: Did you walk here?"

"No—well, yes? For the most part. Until I came to the sudden realization that I wasn't about to walk an entire hour in the rain to get here…even for you."

"Why not?" she teased. "That would have been quite romantic."

"Quite. It would have been comforting to know that I contracted the flu and died in pursuit of a date with a woman who carelessly forgot to give me her phone number," he relented, fiddling with the broken controller in his lap.

"In my defense…I couldn't have sent you a text even if I had your number. My phone died nearly an hour ago. But since you're here now, I guess I should pass on the message"—she cleared her throat—"Be careful, Hitachiin-san. It's raining," she said sarcastically, gasping when Kaoru flicked his soaked sleeves in her direction. "Hey! That's freezing!"

"Next question," he grumbled.

"Spoilsport," she mumbled. "Second question. Are you certain that you can fix that?"

Just as she pointed at the controller that he had been messing with, the universe seemed to answer her question as the covering to the controller popped off, causing the analog sticks to fall out. "Probably not." He tossed it aside. "Next question."

"Why do you have a _towel_? I'd expect the son-of-a-famous-designer to own a large quantity of jackets." As she said this, she took off her own and beckoned Kaoru to take it.

Mumbling a thank you, Kaoru wrapped himself tightly in her jacket, which smelled of shea butter and coconut. "I thought we already talked about that—I'm a romantic, or you seem to believe. Now, I have a few questions of my own."

"Shoot."

"Why didn't you go out with Kyoya-senpai and your siblings?" he cut straight to the point, causing the light atmosphere to shift ever so slightly. "Not that I'm trying to imply anything…but I just thought you would enjoy his company a heck of a lot better than mine."

She traced the wet patterns on the lush towel beneath her, planning her answer carefully. At her core, she knew the reason for her absence during dinner was to defy her parents' wishes, which she would no doubt regret later. And for a moment, while she was stuck waiting by her lonesome, she began to regret being so open with Kaoru. She had entangled herself up with him too much already, like a pair of earphones in someone's pocket. She had allowed him to see parts of her own soul that she hadn't shown to anyone—not even her own siblings—and it seemed too late to try and make him a stranger again…

She spoke softly, "I think…I think I didn't go because I decided to pick myself this time." Her gaze met his and she rewarded him with a divine smile. "I wanted to decide what was best for me in that moment…and that was getting away from Kyoya-kun. And personally, I'd rather not watch my sister flaunt over him." She shuddered at the thought. "Anyway, enough of that. Next question."

He scratched his cheek. "Um…How do I say this?...You seem so certain right now that I'm Kaoru...or you at least haven't said anything opposing that thought. How do you know?"

His question came as a surprise, even more than the first. There was a hopeful fire in his amber eyes that almost compelled Akiko to answer his question earnestly. She almost wanted to tell him all the subtle gestures she had learned in observing him the last few months. The way his eyes twinkled when his twin walks into the room, the way his heart soars when he spots Haruhi, or the puzzles in his words. When his "I'm okay" twistingly means "I _have to be_ okay. I'm going to wear this façade of happiness like Halloween mask until I can convince myself every time I look in the mirror that this is my natural face" or how his soul was made of color, every action painting her world like a canvas. She wanted to tell him all these things; that she had never made a more beautiful friend.

But there was something else lingering in his gaze—a contradiction. _Please, don't unravel me yet,_ it said plain as day. It dawned on her just how much her words could pick apart this man, much like scrubbing off old paint on an antique. She could easily tear apart his own identity. He knew it. And that amount of power scared him. So, she opted for the safest answer and jested, "Child's play." She waved carelessly. "Hikaru-san would never run through the rain and ruin his precious designer clothing for anyone other than you and Fujioka-chan…and maybe Suoh-san, on his good days. I could only conclude that it had to be you."

Kaoru blinked once. Then twice before he tore into a lovely peal of laughter. "Nice guess."

"Not a guess. An educated deduction," she corrected.

"Whatever makes you feel better," he retorted, earning him a signature roll of her eyes.

"Hush, you. Last question."

He tapped his chin for a moment, surveying his surroundings. After spotting that the gaming area that housed the virtual reality booth was now free of children and noting that they left a horror game present on the screen, Kaoru smirked devilishly. Using his host charm, which suddenly made Akiko aware that she was in a very bad position, he offered his hand to her. "Want to play a game?"

She placed her hand in his own, curiously following his line of vision. But by the time she spotted the horror game on the virtual reality console a little ways off, it was already too late. "Oh, no, no, no. I take it back—"

"Nope. Request declined. No take backsies. You already grabbed the hand of doom," Kaoru said smugly, dragging her to the other end of the game parlor.

"Remind me to _never_ take your hand again!" she screamed in a rather unladylike fashion, trying to dig her heels into the ground but failing horribly.

This was quickly becoming one of the worst outings that Akiko had ever been on.

* * *

She crossed her arms over her chest, jutting out her lower lip into a pout and refusing to acknowledge the twin sitting next to her in the cab seat. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could still see his shoulders shaking with mirth as he continued to keep his hand clamped over his mouth like it had been for the last ten minutes. He honestly did not trust his own voice-box if he were to unhand his mouth. A flood of laughter would no doubt pour out.

It was refreshing, he had to admit. To see Akiko in such a disheveled state and acting like a beaten child. He had only ever seen her as the epitome of mature. However, the woman sitting beside him had streaks of eyeliner coming down her cheeks from the tears that had fallen as they had played a horror game that began with the main character tied to a chair, only for bloodied hands to descend on either side of the character's face. He was sure that her voice had probably gone raspy as well from all the screaming that had taken place…and his own voice was probably no better from all the laughing.

Her anger seemed to stem from the fact that the game did not affect him in the slightest. Kaoru didn't have the heart to tell her that he owned a system at home and often did dares with Hikaru on who could withstand the most horror, of which he usually won. Unlike Hikaru, Kaoru prided himself with having a good reign on his emotions…

"Miyamura-senpai…" he pleaded, deciding that he didn't want to end the night on a bad note. "…I said I was sorry—several times, to be exact."

Much to his own horror, he received no response. He began to grow anxious, suddenly wondering if it had been better if he hadn't come at all. "If it makes things any better…I had fun…which is surprising. N—Not saying that it is surprising to find out that you are a fun person or anything! Just—ugh—" He glided a heavy hand down his face. "—What I'm trying to say is that I don't normally hang out with anyone aside from members of the host club…and the change was surprisingly nice."

This seemed to make her twitch. She glanced shyly over her shoulder from the window. "You really think so?" He nodded, earning him a sigh of relief. "I'm glad. Thank you for accompanying me, Hitachiin-san. I'm sorry that I used you for my own childish rebellion."

Her thoughts seemed to trail as she looked out the window of the cab once again. He could only assume that her mind was elsewhere, on a certain ebony-haired shadow king. And when he heard her whisper, "It's awfully gray" his assumption was confirmed.

Kaoru didn't understand why she tried so hard to tear herself away from someone she was so attracted to. She would stare intensely at the rain, like a worn weather doll tied to an open window, willing for the water to wash her clean of everything that reminded her of Kyoya before the rain could cease. It was like she was doing some sort of mental spring gardening, pulling out weeds and carefully trying to plant new memories. Except it wasn't really working…because nothing new or beautiful seemed to have grown since she removed his being from her mental garden…

Kaoru leaned into the seat and sighed, resting his head against the cool glass. He began to fiddle with his pocket until he remembered something—the tissues. Instantly, he brightened and sat up straight in his seat, pulling out the tissues and marker from his pocket. "Miyamura-senpai, look."

"Hm?" she hummed, craning her head around to see that he was holding a box of tissues. One of two things popped into her head. She smirked teasingly, "My, my, Hitachiin-san, you could have at least taken me out to dinner first. And in the backseat of a cab, no less—Ouch!"

She flinched when he flicked his fingers against her forehead, "Get your mind out of the gutter." He separated some tissues and handed them to her, excitedly crumbling up some of the paper into the center of one tissue and twirling it around to form a small ghost. "I haven't done these _teru teru bōzu_ since I was a kid."

Making her own little ghost monks, Akiko giggled. "Well, technically speaking, you still are a kid." She stuck out her tongue to concentrate, drawing a horrendously evil face on the front of one of the ghosts. "Look, I made you."

She snorted when a weather doll was tossed at her cheek. "Ha. Ha. Very funny."

And as they sat there on a rainy, summer night in the backseat of a cab, crafting weather dolls in the dark of the evening, in the dim light only provided by the old street lamps and the brightness of their budding friendship, they were both grateful that they had made it that evening. Because the only people that could ever be out on a night like that were either crazy, broken-hearted, shamelessly in love, or all three.

And what a reassurance it was for Akiko to meet someone who wanted so badly to be free, to live, to love…just as much as she did.

* * *

 **A/N: Whew. I struggled through this chapter in particular! I wrote two separate versions and couldn't decide which one I wanted to move the plot forward with more. After much, much consideration, I settled on the darker (but not overly so) version (granted that the other was light and rebellious). I mean, this one sort of is too…but not as much as I'd hoped.**

 **Regarding a PM,** personally **I think a "date" is not, as you say, " _too soon_." It's more like a "date between friends", you know? Like when you go out with a female or male platonic friend and call it a "date" or "outing"? This is the same thing. Obviously, they have to get to know each other before deciding they romantically like the other person. Calm yo' self.**

 **Thank you for the community add, by the way!**

 **Please review, follow, or favorite. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to PM me, as always!**


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